FəAr MoNsTeЯ
by chittychittybangbang16
Summary: "So you want on seducing me just to prove that you can?" He laughed and shook his head. It sent shivers down her spine. "No, I don't want to seduce you. I want to watch you burn." Adult content, language.
1. Fear of Men

Summary: Raven is a clinical sociopath. She preys on the hearts of vulnerable men to satisfy her own sensual needs and has zero remorse. Meet Dick Grayson the equally pyschotic man who crawls underneath in her skin in more ways than one, and Raven fears she has met her match. She must avoid her own desires and stand against the man who wants to watch her burn.

Disclaimer: As usual I own nothing.

* * *

_-"That boy is bad and honestly/He's a wolf in disguise/ But I can't stop staring in those evil eyes." Monster_

Tongue.

She savored the sensation of his tongue sliding down her stomach. She lay immobile only allowing a few gratifying moans and whispers. She really wanted him to work for it. He slid down between her legs and kissed the inside of her thighs. His arms wrapped around her thighs. Just because she didn't love him didn't mean she could deny the ecstasy. His hands ran up her sides caressing the curves of her waist and hips. His hands ran up her smooth legs. Tongue, tongue, tongue.

She rolled her eyes. He was so damn sensitive. She whispered his name. He looked at her eagerly, eager to please her. He waited for her approval. Oh brother. She smiled sweetly. He swiftly moved towards the edge of the bed. He pulled her hips, dragging her entire naked body toward him. She could feel the heat of his groin near hers. Her mouth fell open slightly when he entered her, swiftly. Typically she hardly registered penetration it was an... interesting change.

They were divided except for where they were attached at the waist. They had met four weeks ago at a premiere. It had all been steamy, passionate, not love making tangled in the sheets of hotel rooms ever since. She never took him out. She didn't even know his last name. What did trivial details matter to her anyways? To her, he was just another lover. A plaything to keep her entertained until the next victim wandered into her locality.

She was already bored with him. When they met in the midst of all the champagne and droll celebrities, he had seemed so fascinating. His Latin passion intrigued her. But for her romance was like roses: beautiful in the beginning and dead after a few days.

His broad chest glistened in sweat. She had to admit it was true what they said about Spanish men in the bedroom. Oh, she landed a real professional and actually had fun with this one. She toyed with him for the first few days after their meeting. "Accidental" meetings at the grocery store, "coincidental" meetings at the dry cleaners, and of course their little game of hard to get. She loved to role play, but cat and mouse was her favorite. She was always the same role, and she always won. Always. Even after allowing him to court her, she played with him. She wanted her to be stuck in his mind, before he was allowed to take her. In his mind, but more importantly his groin.

She lost track of time. They could so easily get caught, not that that concerned her. She wondered if it were time to engage her poker face. No, not yet. She decided. She watched him, his handsome feature contorted in concentration. She allowed the biological ecstasy to wash over her. Her pale eyes rolled back, her back arched towards high heaven, and a soft moan escaped her lips. She was momentarily disappointed, expecting greater intensity. He continued to thrust into her, finally finishing with a grunt. The sounds of their labored breathing filled the empty space between them.

After a few moments Raven got up and wrapped a silk bathrobe around herself. She sat on the bed, yanked open the drawer on her side of the bed. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She watched her lover dress, relieved that he was leaving. He already had his pants on and was working on the dress shirt.

"Raven," His Spanish accent ceased to be exotic, and had actually become annoying. She had to admit his homage was adorable. "when are you going to let me take you out?"

Never. Internally she scoffed and laughed. Externally she smiled sweetly. "I told you, I've been busy lately. I'm working on a case."

He crawled back over onto the bed, and kissed her collarbone. "I have to go away for the weekend, but I'll be back on Monday. Why don't I take you out for coffee." he suggested.

She opened her eyes. "I have to be in court on Monday."

He retreated from where his lips were attached to her neck and offered to take her some other time. She got a thrill knowing she managed to completely captivate his heart in just a matter of weeks, days even. He picked up his cuff link from their resting place on the dresser on the other side of the bed. Roberto dropped it and it consequently fell into the ajar dresser.

"What the hell is this?" his voice was suddenly angry. He was clasping the framed photo of her and Garfield that she had hidden in the dresser in his clenched fist. Whoops.

Her eyes remained cold. Poker face engaged. Do no harm. Stay aloof. Confusion and anger flashed through his hazel eyes. Where was this passion ten minutes ago? Raven wandered to herself. She could see the heartbreak in his eyes. She struggled to remain cool, feeling the twitch of satisfaction in her lips. Her head twisted in the opposite direction. " Are you seeing someone else?" Roberto demanded. She remained silent. "Raven?"

She faced him, her eyes unapologetic. "Yes." she answered honestly.

"W-what? I though- but you told me you loved me!" His voice rasped in heart break. She relished it.

This time she laughed audibly. "I lied." she was hardly ever honest with people. She glanced at the digital clock sitting on her nightstand. It was quarter to two, she had well over two hours until Garfield got enough. This left no worries about him stumbling into his bedroom to catch his girlfriend of five years berating her distressed Latino lover. Raven however was getting annoyed and just wanted him to leave.

"Look I thought you knew what this was." She lied, keeping her voice even. She was hardly ever honest people. In her opinion honesty was overrated and non existence. In her mind it was better to lie to get what you wanted, than to tell the truth and let people walk all over her. "It was fun for awhile but now I'm done with you."

Roberto's eyes became filled with belligerence. He whipped his discarded cuff links at her. She barely winced. Her face remained deadpan. "Demonio vagabundo! You cheap, worthless whore! Puta!"

She laughed and brought the cigarette to her lips again. She felt hazy from the pleasure of hearing the unbridled emotions she had brought upon him. He continued his Spanglish diatribe for another ten minutes, while Raven sat calmly watching him pace. Finally he stormed out. She heard his heavy footsteps down the stairs and then the slam of the front door. Raven finished out her cigarette before stomping out the stub in a ceramic dish.

She tore the sweat soaked sheets off the bed, rolled them into a ball, and stuffed them into the wicker laundry hamper. She quickly showered rising whatever was left of her and Roberto wash down the drain. She stayed in awhile longer to wash her hair, plus she enjoyed the feel of hot water on her skin. When she emerged she ran a comb through her dark hair. When she reentered the bedroom Garfield was sitting on the bed home early. She was suddenly glad she got rid of Roberto when she did.

"Hey babe." Garfield smiled at her. He quickly rose to kiss her on the lips.

She smiled the sweetest of her ability, and turned on the charm. Raven reciprocated the move. It wasn't that Raven loved Gar. That wasn't the case at all. Garfield Logan was her permanent boy toy, her greatest masterpiece. As many men that she had gotten to fall to their knees for her, none fell as hard as Gar. He was completely devoted to her. He worshipped the ground she walked on. There was no real reason for keeping Garfield around other than because it benefited her.

Raven broke the kiss. "Your home early."

He shrugged. "Yeah, it was a slow day and I thought if we left for Kory's party early we can beat heavy traffic and actually make it there on time." he pulled her into his lap. "In the mean time..."

His lips kissed the same spot on her neck that Roberto had trailed no more than an hour ago. Her womanhood was still tender from her latest illicit rendezvous and she wasn't in the mood. She gently pushed him away. "I thought the point was to not be late." she whispered breathlessly.

She stood up and her foot jabbed on something sharp embedded in the cream carpet. It was Roberto's cuff link. She spied on Garfield through the corner of her eye. He was too busy disrobing from his work clothes to notice her. A mischievous smirk crept across her lips. She bent down and felt around for the other cuff link. When she found it she slipped into the closet. She shuffled through a few mahoganey drawers until she found one filled with discarded Tiffany boxes. She fished one out and dropped the cuff links into them.

She hopped onto the bed and wrapped her arms around his bare chest. She kissed the back of his shoulder, trailed his neck, and nibbled on his earlobe. His muscles stiffened. "I got you something." she whispered lowly into his ear.

He took the box out of her hands. "Wow, Rae." he said kissing her on the lips.

Raven often wondered if Garfield knew about her and the other men. She had taken countless lovers, it would seem that after five years together he would be suspicous. But whenever she looked into those big doe eyes and that naive smile, she knew he was clueless. Innocent little fool.

She smiled reassuringly. She had him completely wrapped around her finger.

* * *

The party at Kory's was to be expected. Raven was almost instantly bored and had remained that way for nearly three hours. Her tolerance was wearing thin so Raven excused herself to smoke. She had the fag between her dainty fingers, and casually strolled down the hallway. The walls were an odd shade of pink with a gray trim. Raven promised herself she as soon as she got back to the party she was finding Gar and going home. She leaned against the wall and took a long drag.

A muffled sound startled her. A low moan seemed to come from somewhere near by. Raven leaned up and took slow quiet steps towards the sound. At the end of the hallway the door to a guest bedroom was slightly open. Sudden curiosity cursed through her as she peered inside. The scene fascinated her. There was some older man with Kitten, the barely legal daughter of Senator Kill Moth, pressed against the wall.

Her bright red dress was tugged down to her waist, and her leg were wrapped tightly around his waist. She moaned rather loudly as he thrusted into her. Curiosity now fully piqued Raven watched transfixed. Kitten Moth, had a reputation for being somewhat easy, but even she wasn't known for one night stands in the middle of social occasions. Raven wondered what he could have possibly said to get her on her back so quickly. Raven had completly forgotten about the cigarette she had been holding. An elongated piece of ash fell onto her leg burning her thigh.

Raven gasped, rather loudly, and quickly brushed it off. The rest of the cigarette fell onto the floor burning a hole through the carpet. Raven gasped again and tried to stomp out the flame. She stood up knowing the commotion she had caused would have caught the attention of the two lovers. She stood up in time to catch the glaze of the man. His piercing blue eyes held her there for a few moments. Raven turned away and quickly made her way back to the party.

A sudden hand on her shoulder startled her. "Raven?" came Kory's voice. "Apologies I didn't mean to frighten you."

Kory was one of the few friends Raven decided to keep around. Sweet girl but much too naive. She was the double x chromosome version of the boys Raven preyed on. Raven often fantisized that had she been born male or batted for the other team she would have already bedded her. It was her dangerous side. No one, not even Kory, knew about Raven's double life.

"No, it's fine Kory." Raven replied. The shock was finally wearing off. "Uh- what's up?"

Kory smiled infectiously. "Are you enjoying the party? I-

Raven immediately tuned her out. She felt that Kory had a talent for prattling on that she found most annoying. Kory went on about planning the party and her recent trip to Morocco. A dark figure loomed over Kory suddenly. It sent unexpected chills down Raven's spine. Standing next Kory, champagne flute in hand and smiling brilliantly was the man who had just thoroughly fucked the socialite in the other room.

"Good evening ladies." his voice was smooth.

Raven had never seen and icier pair of blue eyes. His jet black hair was tusseled and his dress shirt was open just enough to catch a glimpse of his toned pecs. He tipped the rest of his champagne into his lips, a drop slipped ever so slowly down his five o'clock shadow. He rested his empty glass on the edge overlooking the lighted city.

Kory's eye lit up. Las Vegas was less obvious than her. "Raven, this is Dick Grayson."

Before Raven could respond Dick picked up her hand and placed a polite kiss on the back of her hand. "Pleasure." He replied.

Raven's eyebrows lifted, and a smile curved the side of her mouth. "What a gentleman." she said turning towards Kory.

"Dick works as an agent for Wayne Industries. Raven here is an attorney and business owner."

It was so obvious, to Raven, by the way that Kory gushed over Dick that she was planning on dating him in the near future. It was even more obvious by the way Dick kept his eyes on Kory and not her cleavage, that he was planning on seducing her in the immediate future. The coldness and danger in his eyes irked Raven. She picked up on his cruel intentions in a New York minute. How could she not, she operated the same way. It sent bristled up her spine.

"So Raven, Kory tells me you own an art studio in Calabasas." He inquired.

Raven sensed his mild and genuine intrigue. She hesistated before answering. "Yes and Manhattan."

"How interesting. I recently spent some time in London where I came across the most interesting gallery in Surrey. God awful pieces, Mostly renaissance features."

"Well, I mainly offer contemporary pieces based on gothic literature." Raven countered.

Dick smiled before relenting. Kory heart dropped. She was loosing the focus. She looked between Raven and Dick in attempts to be included in the conversation.

"I was just telling Raven that I was thinking about moving out of Santa Barbara." She said in an obvious attempt at changing the subject.

Dick coolly lifted another champange glass off the tray of a passing waitor. He barely acknowledged that Kory had spoken. "Is that right." he said casually after a few silent moments.

"My new neighbors a terribly loud. They have four little children and I find spending time outside simply unbearable now." She answered.

Dick finished the rest of his champagne and rested the now empty glass next to his other. Just when it seemed he could care less about Kory and even less about what she had to say, he turned to her and smiled brightly. His teeth were perpetually white. His blue eyes flashed with mischief. "My neighbors are noisy during the day, but that's okay because they put up with me at night."

Kory was pleasantly surprised, and laughed openly. Raven found his brashness disgusting and scoffed audibly. Dick's eyes flashed toward Raven. "Kory would you care to dance with me?" He asked his eyes still on Raven.

She eagerly accepted, the way Raven knew she would. Dick's eyes finally settled back on Kory before he led her back into the main ballroom. As the band struck up with Tango Argentina. Raven watched Dick and Kory command the dance floor. Dick was a very sensual dancer. His eyes burned into Kory's. His hands ran smoothly up her thighs and down her hips. One hand pressed firmly on her lower back. Raven could feel his breath practically on her own neck. All eyes were on them now. Dick's eyes were burning with satisfaction.

The band picked up the pace and began to play Objection. Dick hit his mark every time. Leading Kory, who had never tangoed a day in her life, beautifully. He held her close enough for their eyes to match. He spun Kory and led her into a dangerously low dip. He then outspun her with such velocity her hips her on her waist. He twisted her around and threw her out at arms length, pulled her back into him and they returned to their starting position.

The crowd broke into applause. A dark blush dusted across Kory's cheeks. Dick nodded modestly. The little prick. Raven needed another drink. She returned to the ballroom and hopped up on an empty bar stool, ordering a white zinfindel sangria. Her eyes searched for Kory. She had been pulled into a pointless conversation by a group of giggling idiots girls. Her eyes fell on Dick who was whispering into the ear of some perky chested Ukrainian model, quite openly in front of Kory. She suddenly looked worried. Her eyes kept darting between Dick flirting and laughing with another woman, and the group of party goers whom she was now ignoring.

Raven knew what he was doing. It was the rule in the art of seduction. She rolled her eyes and turned away disgustedly.

A hand gently grabbed her forearm. "I've been looking for you." Garfied said. "Are you having fun?"

"I wasn't." she answered turning around in her chair to face him. "Can we go? I'm really tired."

He frowned. He hated disappointing her. "A few of the guys are watching the game in the other room. I have fifty bucks on Boston."

She leanded in very,very close to her. Their eyes were locked and breast just brushed his chest. "I really want to get to sleep." She said in a breathy, lusty tone.

Garfield's heart sped in his chest. Desire instantly filled him. Raven really didn't feel like putting out for the second time that night, but at this point she would do anything to get out of their. Her lips curved as submission overtook Garfield and dimmed his senses. She maintained complete control. Garfield opened his mouth to relent when-

"Garfield, the Lakers just got a three pointer and now the Celtics are down by six." came Dick's voice suddenly and out of nowhere.

The spell was instantly broken. "Oh shit." He cursed before jogging out of sight.

Raven watched shock at the spot where he had left. Her mouth slowly returned to place. She scowled annoyed at Dick and took a long swig on her sangria. She could feel his eyes on her. He leaned close to her ear.

"Sleep, huh? You know sleep is my _second _favorite thing to do in bed." His tone made her tense.

She turned to him annoyed and pissed. "What do you think you're doing? You can play brand new to all the other girls, but I know what you are."

He smirked playfully. "Miss. Roth, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Look at you. Getting more than just a reup." she scoffed. "You've got all the puppets with the strings up. Faking like a good one."

He laughed. "How would you know? We've had less than four minutes of conversation and you've already presented some sort of preconceived notation of me."

She downed the rest of her sangria and scoffed. "I call them like I see them." She faced him fully with all intentions of making him fuck off. "Why are you even here? You didn't get enough with the barely legal heiress. In case you were wondering, yes I know all about your intentions with Kory and that shit isn't going to work with me."

He stared her curiosly. Her annoyance with him amused him. "You have a gift for reading people, I'll give you that. I noticed you couldn't take your eyes off me on the dance floor." He waited for a response. When he didn't recieve one he continued. "Since you seem so interested in me, I'll tell you my intentions. I'm going to fuck your stupid little friend over there." he pointed to Kory. "And then I'm going to fuck you."

This time Raven laughed in actually humor. "You're going to fuck me? Now I really am interested."

He leaned in they were mere inches apart. The gleem in his eyes were dangerous and serious. Raven was actual frightened. "Don't think you're the only one who can read people Raven Roth. I've heard about you, famous temptress. I was interested to see if you were worthy of my hunt. The little stunt you tried to pull with your pathetic boyfriend verified enough. What are you even doing with that pussy. I bet he can't satisfy you. Are you screwing other guys?"

Raven was shaking with anger. She wanted to smack that confident look off his smug little face. "Fuck you." she spat. "You're wasting you're time and way of your league."

"You want to know something? You're so different from my usual conquests. Still I find you fascinating. You're eyes say danger. It intices me."

"You're disgusting." She said standing up to leave.

He roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her back into her seat. "Don't be such a hypocrite. I know what you are. A sensualist, like myself and when I take you it will only confirm my superiority as a human being."

"Human being? That's presumptuous. In order to be human you have to have virtue. And I am not a sensualist." Raven defended ripping her arm out of his grasp.

Dick took the rest of her sangria. "Virtue is illogical. Why should people be bound by nonexistent codes of conduct? Because society says we need morals? I once took a fifteen year old Armenian virgin, while her parents were in the next room. I took her in my lap and touched her where I pleased. She cried for awhile and eventual learned to accept it. I went back into my room and slept the rest of the night."

Raven was actually startled. He was pyschotic, not like her. Dick drunk in her shock. "Have you ever read _The Prince_? Machiavelli describes virtues as qualities that are praised by others. A ubermensch, such as myself, should appear virtuous but virtue for virtue sake is detrimental. Now back to you. You, Raven Roth, are just like me and therefore you will be the perfect match for me."

Raven swallowed before speaking. "So you want on seducing me just to prove that you can?"

He laughed and shook his head. It sent shivers down her spine. "No, I don't want to seduce you. I want to watch you burn."

Raven's eyes flashed towards him. She immediately got up and dashed out the room. She couldn't stand to be in the room with him any longer. There was something so dangerous about him. He was so charming and menacing. So much like herself.

That scared her the most.

_-"That Boy is a monster."-_

* * *

I actually really love this chapter. I based Dick's personality off of Svidrigailov of _Crime and Punishment. _I think he is so brash and frightening. Raven herself is a sociopath in the sense that she uses people for her own gratification. Dick however is a complete maniac, and is dedicated to his own sensual desires. He sees seducing Raven, a near equal to himself, as evidence of his own superior will.

The song is Monster by Lady Gaga. The fear monster is: Fear of Men.


	2. Fear of the Truth

The reviews I got made me want to drop my homework and work on an update. Thank you guys so much. Now I feel bad about being so dramatic on my profile before.

This chapter is definitely dedicated for Anna my first reviewer. She literally saved this story, because I was fully prepared to delete my account and never write fanfiction again. Your review] means more to me than you will ever know, and I am eternally grateful.

* * *

_-"Don't want no money/Just want your sex." Teeth-_

More than four days later Raven was still thoroughly pissed about her her rendezvous with Dick Grayson. Two days earlier she had received a tearful phone call from a hysterical Kory explaining that Dick had taken her to the aquarium the day after her party. The date had subsequently ended in sex and Dick had yet to call her back. Raven rolled her eyes at her friend's naivety. She wished she had warned Kory about Dick, if nothing else to spite him.

Raven returned from a particuarly long day in court. She had approximately one hour to get into the bath, before Garfield got home from work, where she could ignore him for a majority of the evening. As she ascended the stairs to the master bathroom, and unexpected noise caught her attention. It sounded like music coming from the study. Odd.

"Gar?" She said carefully as she stepped onto the landing.

She looked up and down the hallway. The music was faintly playing in the study. Her hand attached to the doorknob and she slowly turned the knob. "Gar?" she said again.

No one was there. The cd player sitting on the desk, however was on and _Ode to Joy _was blasting through the speakers. She sighed deeply and annoyed, moving to the other side of the room and pressing the off button. She hated feeling paranoid, it made her feel weak. She stared out of the window in front of her, before closing her eyes. Not one sound. She took another deep breath before turning around.

She started a loud gasp escaping her lips. Leaning in the doorway was none other than Dick Grayson. That cocky grin plastered all over his face. Raven's heart sped up in her chest, and her cheeks flushed.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" She bit.

Dick smirked and stood up straight. He took a step forward, she took a step back. She hated how irrationally fearful he made her. He continued until her back was pressed against the desk. "We have an arrangement remember."

Dick was directly in front of Raven. She was trembling slightly. Dick's finger traced her jawbone, done to her collarbone, lower. Raven reached her hand out to hit him. He grabbed her wrist before her hand could make contact with his face. He grabbed her other wrist and twisted her around so that she was pressed against him. She immediate began to struggle. Dick was much larger and stronger than Raven and could easily overpower her, but Raven was too much of a wildcat to let him.

"You have some fight in you. I like it." He rasped into her ear. The fear began to set in and Raven fought harder. "Do you like this position? Maybe we should try it." His hand slid down to her breast.

"I would be so-" he ripped open the front of her blouse. Buttons exploded and crashed onto the floor and exposing an inappropriate amount of cleavage. "easy."

He let Raven go. She retreated to the nearest corner of the room. Dick watched her curiously. He walked to the door and slowly shutting her only way out. Raven was suddenly enraged. How dare he touch her like that. How dare she let him. Her back was against the bookshelf. Dick's glazed from her to the window, over looking the hills.

"Look," he said calmly. Her eyes remained on him, burning with hatred. He roughly grabbed the back of her hair, twisting it. Raven yelped in pain. "Look!"

He pulled her by the hair back over to the desk. "Look at those people down the hill. See how small and insignificant they are. They have no idea we're up their watching them."

Raven took this oppurtunity to deliver her elbow into his stomach. He relented slightly, but managed to keep his grip on her hair. He laughed! He twisted her arm behind her back.

"That wasn't very ladylike. He pushed her down so that she was bent over the desk. "I should teach you some manners."

His hand rubbed down her backside before sending a sharp smack across her bottom. Raven's breath got caught in her throat. He started slow sending light smack to each cheek, one at a time. Raven's face was burning with humiliation. His hand reached around her waist and unbuttoned her pants. He slowly yanked them off and tossed them to the side, leaving her in what was left of her top, her lacy, black boyshort panties, and black pumps. She could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head.

His hand ran down the small of her back, and then squeezed her ass. His hand explored her curvy hips and waist before he pulled her up into a standing position by her hair. She felt his hard lap grind against her backside. His hand wrapped around her throat and held her against her. His other hand ran across her stomach. Lower, lower...

He toyed with the lacy band of her panties before snaking into the front of her underwear. His fingers brushed the light hairs of her womanhood.

Raven finally found her voice. "My boyfriend is going to fuck you up."

He laughed at her in genuine amusement. She wanted to rip out his vocal chords and wrap it around his throat. She felt the hatred within her rising. She was trembling in anger.

"Please." he said condescendingly. "You're much too proud. Even if you weren't he doesn't have the balls."

She couldn't think. She was blinded by pure, unadulterated anger. "Fuck you." she said through her teeth.

"I intend to. " He laughed again. "It drives you crazy that I'm stronger than you, and yet it thrills you. Finally someone to put you in your place. You have to spirit of a wildcat. But you're so little. You're like a kitten." He chuckled pleasantly.

Raven began to realize the extent of the truth in his words. There was a small part of Raven, that was sexually enticed by Dick, not that she would ever admit. If he weren't a fucking lunatic she might have actually seduced him herself.

"You'll come around eventually." he whispered into her ear.

Before Raven could reply there was a slam of the front door. Dick froze. She had never been so relieved that Garfield was home. They heard him calling her from downstairs. Dick slid his hand out of her underwear and fully let her go. He took a few slow steps backwards. His menacing eyes pierced her.

"Clean yourself up Kitten." He said turning around and disappearing behind the door.

Raven remained in the study in her underwear, partially molested. She grabbed her pants off the floor and proceeded to yank them back on. As much as she hated to admit it: Dick was right. She was much too proud to tell Garfield. She had more balls than he did. She could handle Dick Grayson and didn't need Gar to protect her. Besides that she could never give Dick that satisfaction of her falling to her knees. Becoming so weak that she would resort to relying on her boy toy.

Raven was shocked when she arrived downstairs. There was Garfield and Dick in the kitchen having a beer and laughing. _The Hell? _

Garfield looked up at her, and smiled. "Hey, babe."

She couldn't keep the look of perplexity off of her face. Her glaze went from Dick who was sitting at the kitchen table, to Garfield who was in the kitchen chopping vegetables in the near the sink. Dick winked at her when Garfield wasn't looking.

"You two know each other?" she kept her voice as even as possible.

Garfield glanced at her. "Yeah. Dick and I went to prep school together. We met up at Kory's party and we got together for lunch yesterday."

_But why the hell is he here? _She wanted to scream. Dick watched her expression carefully. He got a jolly out of how uncomfortable he made her in her own house. "Gar, said I could stay here for awhile while my house is being renovated. I hope that's okay."

Raven could hear the commination laced in his voice under a mask of chivalry. "What!" she said suddenly, unable to hide her displeasure.

Garfield immediately apologized for not talking about it with her before inviting Dick to stay. Raven rolled her eyes. She turned around to face Dick's smug grin of self satisfaction. Dick stood up and moved into the kitchen. Dick politely asked Garfield if he could help set the table. Garfield wouldn't have thought Dick was so polite if he knew he had only asked to stay with the intention of screwing his girlfriend.

A smirk crossed Raven's lips. She got up and began to prepare the salad. The room in the kitchen was tight with three bodies moving reached underneath of Gar for the carrot. Her hands ran up his stomach and up his chest. He glanced at her, danger burned in her eyes. Raven could feel his heart speeding up under her fingertips. She could see Dick's look of intrigue from across the room. She leaned up and nibbled on Gar's earlobe.

"Ouch!" Gar sudden exclamation surprised the room. He sliced his finger, and blood oozed from the wound.

"Here." Raven said holding his finger. She turned on the seduction and brought his finger into her mouth. She used her mouth and tongue to clean the blood. "All better."

She needed to keep Garfield on her side. He was a very valuable ally, for now. Garfield excused himself to find a band aid. Raven brought the rest of the food to the table, where Dick was already seated. She poured herself a glass of red wine. Dick watched her, his smug grin plastered all his stupid little face.

"Nice try Kitten." Dick said pouring his own glass of wine. "You can only seduce him so many times. I have other means of control."

"Oh are you sleeping with him?" she said sarcastically. "Then he likes me better."

Before Dick could back a snappy comeback, Garfield returned. Dinner was mostly silent. Occasionally Raven would send Dick a glare. Gar remained almost completely oblivious. Dick and Garfield engaged in trivial conversation. Raven could here the condescendingness every time Dick laughed politely. Raven felt Dick's hand on her knee underneath the table. She shifted uncomfortably. His finger circled her knee cap.

"Dick, was telling me about this new club that just opened. He knows the DJ." Garfield said carefully. "So we were thinking about going tonight." He was asking permission.

"If that's alright with you Kitten." Dick's finger traced up her thigh.

Raven jumped at the feeling of his hand between her legs. She bumped her knee of the table, sending her wine glass toppling over and spilled all over the front of her blouse and trousers. Raven pushed her chair back and quickly stood up.

"Whatever." she said bitterly before leaving the room.

She quickly disappeared upstairs, into the master bathroom. She unbuttoned her now ruined white blouse, and removed her sticky bra and soaking pants. She turned the shower and waited until the water was scolding before entering. She scrubbed the parts of her body that Grayson had dared touch. Her anger and the water steamed up the glass door. She hated how weak and vulnerable he made her feel.

What she hated even more was how thrilled she also felt. She was so use to being in control. Dick was right, he was an equal to herself and that truth thrilled her. She had never felt so dominated by a man. Her head, however, overpowered her libido. Giving herself to Dick, she admitted, might be the single most fantastic sexual experience of her entire life. But it came with so many sacrifices. Her self control, will power, her pride. Not to mention it would confirm Dick as being a superior human. Some sort of ubermensch.

She rised her hair out with cucumber and melon shampoo. She quickly towel dried her body and scrunched the water from her hair. She was beyond exhausted from the events of that day. She grabbed a pair of black Jockey underwear and a matching camisole. She flopped down onto the bed. Her bombay cat, Buffy crawled from her place under the bed and curled at the end of the bed. Raven laid on top of the down blankets, horizontally across the bed. She bathed in the silence. A few minutes later she heard the front door slam and the car start up.

Raven was relieved when she heard nothing. She hugged a pillow to her chest and quickly fell asleep. Raven woke up in a fog. It was still dark outside and she could tell she hadn't been asleep for long. She glanced at the clock sitting on the nightstand. 1:24 A.M. The house was still, she listened to the silent sounds of the night. She could hear Buffy purring next to the door. She began to meow irritably and scratched at the door. Raven pushed herself off of the bed and moved to the door. She creaked the door open and allowed Buffy to scamper out of the room.

She heard the sound of splashing from outside. She moved to the window where the moonlight shone in through the crack of the translucent curtains. She saw Dick outside in the pool. He was by himself. He pushed himself over the edge of the pool and pulled himself out of the water. Rivets of water ran off his perfect pectorals and chiseled abdominals. His dark hair was pushed back out of his face. His icy blue eyes shone brightly in the moonlight. He looked like a Greek God. His face was perfectly sculpted.

Raven watched him silently. His perfectly toned back was facing her. He grabbed a towel off of the patio chair and slowly wiped the water from his face and patted it off of his chest. As if he could feel Raven watching him from the distance, he turned around. Their eyes immediately connected. Neither one changed their expression. Poker face engaged. Raven remained deadpan and even. Dick stayed perfectly stoic.

Finally Raven pulled herself away from the window. The curtains floating behind her, before going back to their resting position. Raven sat on the edge of her bed, and waited for the sound of the water again. Her eyes felt heavy and her head connected with the pillow. She heard the familiar splash from outside. She immediately fell asleep. She had the nightmare again. It had been recurring since she was a little girl. It left her tossing and turning, often crying and screaming in her sleep. She bolted awake, gasping. She took a deep breath, and calmed her breathing.

"Nightmares Kitten?" came a voice out of the darkness.

She twisted around to see Dick sitting in the wicker chair in the corner of the room. His face was concealed by darkness. She could only see his legs and the outline of his face. His eyes magnified in the dark. Raven immediately jumped out of bed, forgetting about how scantily clad she was.

"Where's Gar." She demanded.

Dick shrugged and stood up from the chair. He took a step forward into the light. "He had a little too much to drink and is sleeping it off downstairs."

Raven kept her glaze on Dick and not his bare chest. There was a moment of unbearable silence. Raven's eyes flashed towards the clock. 2:16. She darted towards the door ignoring how futile it was. She needed to take the chance. Being alone with Dick was dangerous. Dick grabbed her around the waist before she could reach the doorknob. She kicked and struggled helplessly in his arms. He easily picked her up, and silently took her abuse. He threw her on to the bed and quickly climbed on top of her. Raven kicked from underneath of him and pounded on his chest.

"Calm down." he said evenly. Raven ignored him and continued to thrash against him. His hand connected with her throat and tightly wrapped around her windpipe.

"Calm down." He bellowed loud enough to scare her. Her stomach convulsed in heavy breathing. "Jesus Kitten, I think you sometimes forget just how small you really are. What are you 5'2? 5'3?"

Raven growled in response. Dick loosened his grip on her neck. His thumb traced her jawbone, before sliding his hand down to the edge of her shirt. His hand lingered on her jutting hip bone. He stared curiously at the tattoo on her hip. It was a small circle in monotype corsiva font that read: live free die hard. His hand slid under the warmth of her shirt and rested firmly on her small breast.

Raven hated herself for not being able to fight him. She huffed angrily, trying to wiggle herself free. It was impossible. Dick reached up and yanked her top over her head. Raven began to fight against him again. She wildly battered and clobbered underneath of him. Dick took hold of both of her wrists and held them above her head. Their faces were practically touching, and he was pressed firmly against her.

"You're wasting your time doll face. I like it rough." He gave Raven another moment to uselessly beat on him. "Are you a masochist?"

"Go to hell!" she said through her teeth.

"Do you have daddy issues?" Dick said grinning.

Raven's stomach lurched. She stopped struggling and spat directly in Dick's eye. His expression remained unchanged. He recoiled slightly to wipe the spit out of his eye, and delivered a hard slap across her face. Raven's cheek burned. Pure panic began to set in. Her anxiety took over, and her throat began to close. Her eyes watered and she began to hyperventilate. Dick watched with amusement as she struggled to draw breath.

Of all the ways Raven had fantasized about dying, an anxiety attack was not the way. Her vision began to get blurry. Dick sighed in annoyance and let go of Raven's wrist and leaned over the bed. He pulled open the bedside drawer, and searched the drawer until he found what he was looking for. He shook the inhaler before he stuck it in Raven's mouth, and pressed the bottom of the button. Raven deeply inhaled.

She immediately felt her throat passage begin to open up. She laid there limply, dreading the next few moments. Dick was still looming over her. She was much too exhausted to even struggle slightly against him. She closed her eyes and prepared for Dick to have his way with her. She hated just how weak she was at that moment. Dick chuckled. She looked at him weakly.

"You're even more fucked up than I ever could have imagined." She turned her head away from him. He continued. "You know, I find that dreams are very revealing. You're a very interesting person to watch sleep. You happen to talk in your sleep. You want to know what you said." She closed her eyes and remained silent.

"You talk about your father. What he did to you. I must say it explains a lot."

Raven opened her eyes and stared at the dark wall across from her. She didn't dare look at Dick. She was convinced that she would be staring into the face of pure evil. Raven had struggled for many, many years to come to terms with what had happened to her. She had to see shrink until she was nineteen. To have him so casually reaffirm all those horrors, seemed so inhuman. She squeezed her eyes shut, to stop the tears from coming.

"What do you what from me?" she moaned miserably.

"I already told you." he said simply. "I'm going to destroy you."

Dick was laying directly on top of her. His lips attached to the silk skin of her neck. Her skin burned where he kissed her. Her mouth opened slightly, and released breathy moan. Dick ran his hands along her the curves of her waist, his fingers thumbing the band of her underwear. He trailed kisses down her neck to the valley between her breast, and finally her stomach. He moved back to her face, shoving his tongue down her throat. He nipped on her bottom lip. Two fingers hooked the inside of the pantyline, preparing to remove the rest of her clothing.

Raven opened her eyes, which connected immediately with his. Dick froze. His mouth opened slightly. He just stared at her. The peek of moonlight coming in from the crevice in the curtains directly above their heads illuminated her bright, violet eyes. They were so big, and blazing. Her raven hair fanned around her head like a dark halo. Raven's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What?" she half whispered into the darkness.

Dick said nothing. He just looked at her as if she were some sort of epiphany. "You're so beautiful." he said, the most gentle she'd ever heard it.

Dick completely let go of her, and climbed off of her. He turned his back to her and made his way towards the door. He stopped midway and sighed deeply. "We've got to stop meeting like this Kitten." He told her before leaving.

He closed the door behind him. Raven laid mostly nude, the sheets twisted around her. She stared at the ceiling pondering what just happened. The clock blinked 3:08. She pulled her sheets over her bare chest. Dick's words from earlier rang in her mind.

_You'll come around eventually. _

They sent her heart into palpitations. She could no longer deny the sexual desire she had for him, as unwilling as it was. Part of her wished he would have just taken her right then and there, and leave any fear of her willingly giving herself to him sometime in the future. He wanted to destroy her. He told her himself. He wouldn't stop until he did, the truth was in his eyes. His scary, blazing, menacing blue eyes. She wasn't sure how long she could play this game. It was even too dangerous for her.

_I'm going to destroy you. _

She could hear the truth of his words. He wasn't a liar. His soul was black.

_-"Show me your teeth."-_

* * *

Oh my when did I become a smut peddler? Hey, do you like the new style of the title?

Song: Teeth- Lady Gaga


	3. Fear of Suffocation

Miss me? Cause I missed you. I swear it was writer's block and not laziness. I hope you guys aren't annoyed him me.

* * *

_-"Sometimes I feel like I live in Grand Central Station/ Tonight I'm not takin' no calls 'cause I'll be dancin'." Telephone-_

Raven didn't sleep the rest of the night, which pissed her off. Every time she closed her eyes she could feel Dick still on top of her. His hips on top of hers. His lips against her neck. She got out of bed some time around eight in the worst mood of her life. She came downstairs to find Garfield already in the kitchen, extremely hung over. He didn't notice the dark circles underneath of her eyes, which worsened her mood. What the hell good was he if he couldn't even notice when she needed him.

Raven felt resentment for Garfield rising within her. God, he was blind.

"Hey." he croaked staring pathetically into a cup of coffee.

"Hey." she said bitterly turning to pour her own cup.

They both sat at the table in silence. Raven read the newspaper, while Garfield read a battered copy of _The Bell Jar_. Raven grabbed her purse which had been hanging on the back of a chair. She ruffled through her purse, until she found her sterling silver cigarette holder. It had been a gift from her pre-law professor in college. Older. Italian. Looked like Olivier Martinez. That was one hell of a semester. The memory curved her lips. She pulled out a perfectly straight cigarette from the case. She held it between her lips while she searched for her Bic lighter. Exhale.

Garfield shifted uncomfortably and glanced at her from his book. She knew he hated it when she smoked, not that he'd actually say anything about it. She brought the cig to her mouth again, and watched him carefully while he rolled his neck. Suddenly a hand from behind her reached out and removed the cigarette from her dainty fingers.

Dick stood behind her looking like a God damned Armani exchange model in his Hugo Boss suit, holding her cigarette. He stubbed it out in the ash tray that had been sitting on the kitchen table. Raven scowled at him. It wasn't enough for him to steal precious hours of sleep from her, but now he had to take her cigarette as well.

"Bad for the lungs Kitten." he said. "You look tired. Rough night?"

Raven glared heavily at him. "You have no idea." she mumbled. "

Raven's arm hung on the back of her chair. She watched Dick move into the kitchen to pour himself a cup of coffee. Last night flashed through her mind an d looked back at Garfield. He simply read his book as though nothing had happened which, from his side of the table, nothing had. She drummed her perfectly manicured nails along the table. Every man in to the room annoyed her. Dick with his narcissistic attitude, and perpetually white smile. Garfield with his complete ignorance of what was obviously going on around him.

After what felt like hours, Dick excused himself to go work. Finally she could breathe again.

"Garfield." she said sweetly lighting another cigarette. He replied with a careless "hm." "What would you do if I left you?"

Panicked green eyes flashed at her. She kept her head tilted the smoke filling the space between them. His book fell from his hand and onto the floor. She fought back the smile. Oh she was sick. He got up from his spot across from her, and kneeled beside her taking her hand in his suddenly clammy one.

His cheeks were flushed with panic and concern. "Rae, what's going on with you? If- if there's a problem we can fix it. Whatever I did I'm sorry but we can fix it. I can fix it."

She eyes remained in place and completely stone cold. God, one fucking hypothetical question and he turned into some weeping, quivering, pathetic woman. She had to admit it made her feel better. At least she still had control over someone.

He leaned up, his fingers tangling in her raven colored hair. His lips roughly, passionately forced themselves against her own. She held onto his wrists for balance. He was trying way too hard.

"I love you." he muttered into her mouth.

She pulled away from him slightly, and breathed into his ear. "Shut up."

* * *

By the evening, Raven was beginning to regret that stunt she had pulled with Garfield earlier that day. Ever since he had been following her around like a lost puppy. She was currently sitting in the tub, soft bubbles running down her legs. Her eyes playfully peaked over the mound of bubbles, at Garfield who was standing above the sink shaving. A damp towel was wrapped tightly around his waist.

To say Gar was bad looking, would a complete lie. Tussled blonde hair, muscular legs, a tight ass. Give him a surfboard and he could be a suntan spokes model. He just so plain, and predictable, and ordinary. It bored her. He would die for her, which thrilled her...at first. Five years later it ceased to mean anything to her. Once this whole Dick episode was over, she'd probably just let him go.

Raven reached over the side of the tub for the glass of wine that had been sitting on the floor. A wave of water splashed onto the already damp floor. Garfield looked up from the sink, and watched her in the mirror. She tipped back the rest of her wine and decided that she would go out that night, and maybe hook up with someone. She pulled the drain stopper out using her toe, and climbed out of the tub dripping wet. Nude, devastating.

Garfield became noticeably rigid. She tilted her head, the seductress had invaded. He watched her carefully in the mirror. He turned around. Silence. Breathing erotica. "Rae-"

She didn't let him finish. Her legs were around his waist, and his lithe arms were around the small of her back. He lifted her up with one arm carrying her into the bedroom. Her back was against the mattress before she could stop herself. The sheets instantly soaked. His mouth found her neck. His hands tangled in her soaking hair. At this moment she couldn't care less about Dick. Fuck him. _I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. _

Raven tried to focus on Garfield's hands on her thighs, but Dick's face kept slipping back into her mind. Icy eyes. Rough hands. The devil's grin. Burning, scorching, fear. _I don't care! I don't care! I don't care!_

Lie to me.

Raven was relieved once it was all over. Garfield submitted to her relentless teasing, as usual. Intoxicating himself in her endless, loveless fucking. It wasn't enough to satisfy Raven. Her need for stimulation, though not always sexual, was frequent. It almost frightened her how self destructive she was. Live life on the edge, go home with anyone, act now- consequences later.

Sometimes Raven thought she was going crazy. She couldn't bare to be any place that bored her or found repetitive. It was like suffocating on conformity.

She rummaged through her closet as inconspicuously as possible.

She dressed as conservatively as she dared. White blouse, jeans, black sweater. It was enough to get her out of the house without any questions. She opened the bottom drawer, where she kept her heavy sweaters. Hidden underneath was a short, leather corset dress. She bought it on impulse over ten years ago, but had yet to wear it out. She sighed, repositioning the sweater to their original stack of secrecy, and shut the drawer. She wasn't feeling quite that adventurous tonight. She planned to wear it before she hit milf status.

All thoughts aside she yanked the black Matthew Williamson Valencia dress off its hanger and stuffed it in her bag, along with a killer pair of pumps. When she exited the closet Garfield was sitting in the wicker chair. Dick's silhouette briefly stormed across her mind. She laid her bag carefully on the disheveled bed.

"Well, I'm going to a poetry reading with Kory." she lied. "I won't be back until late." Garfield was silent. "...So don't wait up for me."

Garfield watched her moves carefully, like a father watching his child at play. Raven hated her father. "Come here." he said relaxing his posture.

Raven could scarcely prevent the annoyed glance she wanted to shoot him. Instead she simply smiled mischievously. "What?" she teased moving closer slowly, showing him who was in control.

When she was close enough, Garfield's hands gently wrapped around her hips and pulled her into his lap. His arms secured around her. "What?" she said again, more annoyed this time.

"Raven," Garfield's voice became husky and serious. "What are you afraid of?"

"What?" her voice laced with surprise, and perplexity. "Why do you ask?"

Pure silence between them. The corners of Garfield's mouth flicked unsure. "Just tell me."

_Screaming, choking, can't breathe. Death. _Raven's eyes wandered elsewhere. She took a silent deep breath to collect herself. She shrugged. "Nothing. Why?"

It was only half of a lie, but it wasn't enough. Half of a lie was still a lie. Raven was completely aware of Garfield's frustration with her ambiguity with her emotions and the status of their relationship. She was enigmatic, that he knew. She didn't love, that he didn't know. She had secrets, that they _both _knew.

Garfield sighed. "Well, I was talking to Dick this morning when you were in the shower and he told me last night he heard you having a nightmare. He said you were screaming- and crying, Rae!" He finished passionately, his eyes shining with concern like he would become hysterical on her account.

Raven's mouth hung open slightly at the allusion of Dick. _That motherfucker! _She knew what he was trying to do. She was suddenly uncomfortable, fearful even at the direction of their conversation. She pulled away from Gar's lap slightly. Her mind tight and preoccupied with burning desire to escape this mental prison.

Garfield continued. He resembled a mother reprimanding their child, for staying out past curfew. Raven never knew her mother. "And it's not the first time, Raven. I've heard it too. Many times. And lately it's been happening more often. I- I'm just worried about you." His tone became soft at the end.

Raven broke from his glance, and just let him hold her in silence. He wouldn't let this go. She mentally weighed effects of telling him. Nothing too risky, other then having to open up to him, which she hated. No. She would only tell him the truth. It would suffice for now.

She took a deep breath. "My father, was a very bad person. He was so-angry after my mother died. He..." she kept her voice even. Get it over with. "His favorite form of torture was wrapping his belt around my throat and choking me. And I had really bad asthma, so sometimes the attacks would be so bad afterwards that I would have to go to the hospital."

It was the simple truth. Garfield's shocked silence annoyed her. His pity pissed her off. She was older now. She didn't need his pity or anything else. "Rae-" His voice laced with compassion. The urge to leave consumed her again. She needed to get out of there.

_Suffocating. Can't breathe_. _Too close. _

She pushed herself away from him and grabbed her purse off of the bed. "I'll be back later." she said without turning around.

She had to get out of there before she went completely insane.

_Losing control. _

_

* * *

_Getting out of the house, was just what Raven needed. She cherished the second hand smoke that filled the room and her lungs. The pounding of the music was deafening, distracting. She loved it. There was an older gentleman who kept sending her drinks from across the room. She rewarded him, by flashing him her thigh. It was like recharging. Reminding herself how powerful she really was. She sometimes forgot, when Dick was sneaking into her bedroom in the middle of the night and climbing on top of her, and sometimes she felt like Garfield's smothering was draining the life out of her. Oh, well. They weren't there know_._

This man looked like a younger Richard Gere. He was at least fifteen years older than her, which would put him in his late thirties to early forties and much too old to be in the club picking up women. Uck, he was like The Situation. Forty year old party boys were not cute. Her plans to get him in bed were already running through her mind. Should be easy enough. Several times he looked like he was going to get up to talk to her, but then relented. He wanted her to come to him. Yeah, right.

Another man was scoping Raven from across the room. Much younger than the gentleman who was unsuccessfully trying to woo her. He was cute. Long hair, adorably unkempt. Possibly French. She could use him. Raven sat up a little straighter making sure her...assets were noticeable. She turned on the bedroom eyes, and casually ran her hand through her hair. The younger man winked at her and she smiled subtly in reply. The older man glared at the other guy, a gesture that went unnoticed by all except for Raven. The man stood up, and began to make his way over to the bar.

She could tell he was possessive and territorial. Dangerous. She had always been attracted to dangerous men, but this was nothing she could handle. Not like-

Raven glanced towards the door, and had to do a double take. She almost fell out of her chair. Dick was leaning against the doorframe at the entrance. His icy eyes shone even under the harsh and blinding strobe lights. Raven's heart began to pound and her stomach lurched. Was he stalking her? All the clubs in Jump City and he had to show up at the same exact one as her. Raven froze. _Not afraid. Not afraid. Not afraid. _

As she tried to expel the paranoia and panic from her mind, she realized he wasn't even looking at her. In fact he didn't even seem to notice her. Maybe their being at the same place at the same time was merely coincidental, nevertheless she need to make herself scarce and get the hell out of there as soon as possible.

"Excuse me." A deep baritone voice startled her from her reverie. It was the old guy come to hit on her. "I hope I'm not being forward, but I couldn't help but notice you. Are you here alone?"

Raven's eyes kept dashing towards Dick, hoping-praying to whatever God existed that he wouldn't notice her. She barely acknowledged the presence of the handsome and wealthy man in front of her. She was mainly focused on her escape plan. She slid her clutch into her lap, and clumsily stumbled off the bar stool.

"I- I have to go." she told him breathlessly.

He gently grabbed her arm. "Wait a minute." he said as sensually as he could manage, which wasn't very. "What the rush? It's still early and I was hoping maybe we could-"

"No." Raven finished quickly. There were many times in life when Raven was glad that she was blunt and didn't care about other people's feelings. This was one one of those moments. She moved forward again to leave. His grip on her arm tightened and he pulled her back. His flirtatious brown eyes were flaming with belligerence.

He said in a low whisper, "You listen to me you little gutter slut-"

She didn't have fucking time for this. "No, you listen to me you Dean Martin wannabe. Let's skip the theatrics because I already know everything there is know about you. You make six figures a year which makes you think that you are entitled to cheat on your wife, which by the way you'd be a lot better at if you remembered to take off your wedding ring when going out to hit on women much too young for you to be hitting on. Your job is being a dickhead. Your head is a dick and it is required to be attached to your neck. You think that if you buy me enough drinks and get me drunk enough you can drag me to some cheap motel and have your way with my unconscious body, and hope that I'll be too intoxicated to notice that your cock is scarcely bigger than a grain of rice."

He stared at her slightly open mouthed, and his grip on her arm slackened slightly, but Raven kept going. Once she started it was hard to stop. "We both you that I'm way out of your league and way too good for the likes of you. So why don't you take your Viagra and pectoral implants and fuck off, because we're definitely going home tonight."

He stared at her perplexed for another moment before completely releasing her arm. She watched him disappear into a throng of people, before turning her attention back to Dick. Her heart almost stopped. He had left his post at the door. Paranoia and fear washed over her as she quickly scanned the crowd for any sign of him. She wished she had a bloodhound to sniff out his Marc Jacob aftershave. He was leaning over pretty brunette girl, who Raven could tell by this girl's fake i.d. that she was only about seventeen. She was smiling infectiously as Dick leaned into her ear and whispered something. The girl, Becca was it, smiled flirtatiously.

Suddenly leaving had lost its importance as Raven stared curiously at the scene. Raven slid down to the other end of the bar, to get a better view and stay out of sight. She felt totally prepubescent as she had crouched in back of a fichus, spying on Dick and his barely legal soon to be bed mate. She accumulated a fair amount of odd stares, which finally prompted her to slide into a seat about eight feet away from where Dick was chatting up the girl.

His arm was draped casually around the back of her hair, and his hand was sensually sliding up her thigh and disappeared underneath her short dress. She tried and failed to keep her face free of the obvious ecstasy. Raven's brows furrowed in disgust. At least she had the decency to keep her sexual liaisons private. Dick bought her a few rounds of straight Bacardi, which she shot down like a champ. Raven shook her head. She couldn't help but wonder where this girl's parents where.

After awhile Dick and, Brea?, got up. Raven turned around in her seat to keep her face concealed. She could smell Dick's cologne as he brushed past her. She watched them disappear into the bathroom. She stared at the place where they had disappeared. What she felt could not be described as worried or concern, but uneasiness. Something just was not right, she could tell.

The D.J. announced that it was midnight, which meant that all girls got in free. Suddenly a hoard of young women flooded the now packed club. Raven decided take advantage of this distraction to sneak into the bathroom and...investigate. She slid off the chair and tiptoed to the empty, short corridor where the bathrooms where. She stood in front of the door, pressed her hands against it and slowly pushed it open. The door silently lacerated. Raven slid in and looked around. The washroom was empty except for the granite and Tudor style vanity. Raven peaked around the corner to the stalls. She could see Dick and Becca/Brea's feet shuffling around in the third stall. Almost hypnotized by curiosity Raven continued around the corner of the wall until her heel made contact with the tile of the floor. Her heel clicked and echoed loudly. Raven quickly pulled back her foot.

Dick and Becca/Brea stopped moving for a moment. Raven held her breath. The girl mumbled something incoherently, which Dick responded with a low grumble. Raven leaned against the wall and slowly slid her shoes off. For a few minutes all she could hear was the smacking of lips against skin, and the girl's soft moans of subtle pleasure. Then there was the audible resonance of bunching clothing.

"Wait." The girl rejected gently. The bunching continued. "Wait." she said a little more seriously, to no avail. "No, wait!" she said actually scared this time. "I said stop!"

The feet underneath of the door, began to scuffle frantically. The girl screamed for Dick to let her go. There was the sound of a hand against skin. Dick's feet stopped moving for a moment. Raven her the sound of a fist against flesh. The girl whimpered in pain. Suddenly the door of the stall vibrated heavily, and there was a loud banging noise that startled Raven. The girl started crying. The stall shook again, as she was mercilessly slammed into the walls. Dick said something lowly, and the girl continued to cry. More punches. Clothing being torn. There was one last agonizing moan of pain, before all that could be heard was weeping and heavy breathing.

Raven watched the closed door in horror, knowing full well what was going on behind it. This was not the first time since she had been introduced to Dick less than a week ago that she thought that she might be afraid of him. This was, however, the first time she admitted to herself that he was dangerous. He was the most dangerous person she had ever met, and she was beginning to think that he might make good on his promise to destroy her and end up hurting her...or worse!

Raven was for the first time since she was twelve, paralyzed by fear. She wanted-needed to get out of there right now. Her legs didn't get the message from her brain. Then it was silent, sans Becca/ Brea's hysterical crying which echoed off the entire bathroom. From what Raven could see Dick's figure straightened up. Her heart leapt. She grabbed her shoes and as quietly as she could, slid into the first stall, balling up on top of the toilet. The door of the stall next to hers creaked open. Through the crevices of the stall she could vaguely see Dick's figure, his hair wet with perspiration. He straightened his jacket and left as though nothing had happened. Raven waited until she could hear the pounding of the music from the dance floor. When it became muffled again she slid off of the toilet.

Raven quickly pulled her shoes back on. She could see the lower half of the girl leaning over the toilet. She couldn't believe what she had just sort of witnessed. It was too Clockwork Orange, it was too insane, it was too unreal. As if to confirm her sanity Raven pushed the stall door open. The girl looked up at her. She was leaning over the toilet sobbing brokenly, mascara running down her red cheeks. Her left eye was completely black, her cheek and arms bruised, and her bottom lip split. There was also a pretty nasty looking cut on her forehead, that looked like it might require stitches.

Raven almost choked on the shock. She stared at the girl blankly before slowly backing out of the bathroom. She needed to leave, _now_! She rounded the corner to the washroom, where she crashed into a wall of thick muscles. She looked up and stared into the cold eyes of Dick Grayson. He looked down at her almost expectantly. As if he had planned this whole thing just to scare her. No, not scare her: warn her. He smiled at her wickedly. It was like looking into the face of Beelzebub.

Raven took a step back, trying her best to calm her heart and steady her breathing. She didn't want him to know that she was shaking. Raven brushed past him, and exited the bathroom. She needed to get as far away from him as possible. It was as if Raven had suddenly transformed into a linebacker, and she was able to blow through the immense crowd of people in record time. She escaped through the front entrance.

How Raven made it back to her house without obtaining a speeding ticket was nothing short of a miracle. She ran into her house locking the door behind her. She flew up the stairs and into the bedroom where Garfield was already asleep. Raven undressed quickly in the bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her teeth all in a matter of mere minutes. She slid underneath of the cover close to Garfield's hard body and draped his arm over her. She knew she was probably better off getting a koala bear to protect her, but she needed some kind of security right now even in the form of a new-age hippy who had never even been in a fight before.

Garfield woke up in daze. "Babe, are you okay?" I said groggily.

Raven took a deep breath to steady her voice. "Yeah, I- didn't mean to wake you."

He lifted his head up. "You're shaking." he said much more aware.

"I'm fine." she lied. "Go back to sleep."

Garfield had no problem getting back to sleep. He collapsed before Raven's body temperature matched that of their bed. For Raven it was another story. Though her body felt exhausted, fear kept her awake for hours. She listened for the sound of wheels crunching in the driveway, indicating that he had returned. Every little noise was beginning to startle her. The ice machine in the downstairs refrigerator, the heater started up, Buffy purring from the end of her bed.

Well past one in the morning with no sign of Dick, Raven figured it was safe to allow herself to drift. Another short night of dreamless sleep. Thank God. Raven had not a single dream in her entire recollection. Sure she had nightmares, visions of her past and images of her future incarceration in hell, but never dreams of good memories. She didn't really have any good memories to dream about. Good things didn't happen to her. Raven believed that she was a horrible person and deserved to be punished, but she didn't believe in karma. What could she have possibly done at the age of three that was so terrible that she deserved for her mother to die and the subsequent life of abuse that followed. Maybe for her karma worked in reverse. She often times wondered what kind of person she would have turned out to be if her mother didn't die and her father didn't abuse her. What difference did it make now? Wondering was pointless.

The sound of Gar's snore in her ear woke her up some time around three. Raven laid completely immobile, willing her mind to shut off and give her a few hours of peace. Without any luck she let her eyes open. Panic instantly rose in her throat.

Dick was crouched down at the side of her bed, staring directly at her. She was so scared that all of her reflexes shut down. They stared at each other silently, his menace was glow in the dark. Slowly Dick stood up, walked around to the other side of the bed, and left without a word. Him being there was enough.

She hated his presence. Every time he was around her breathlessness overwhelmed her. The suffocation, the isolation, the bodily torture all returned to her. Raven was beginning to think that maybe he was an even bigger threat that she had originally anticipated.

He was the devil.

_-"I don't want to think anymore."_

_

* * *

_I feel horrible that this took me over a month to update and I'm not even one hundred percent satisfied with it. I had like the worst case of writer's block in my life, I had no idea how this chapter should go. I warn you I'm in the college application process so I spend a good amount of my free time writing essays that I don't want to write and reading books that I don't want to read. Plus I'm dealing with the most annoying and least helpful family in America. I know what to do for the next chapter so I'll get that up as soon as possible.

The song is obviously Telephone by (you guessed it) Lady Gaga


	4. Fear of Addiction

Okay so recently I received this unexpected abundance of reviews, and I realized I must update pronto. I'll explain my absence at the end of the chapter

* * *

_-"Just Know when/ That glass is empty that the world is gonna' bend." So Happy I Could Die _

Raven's fear turned into anger. Quickly. She was so convinced that every time she closed her eyes that Dick Grayson would be hovering over her in her sleep that she had succumbed to insomnia for the past four days. She felt physically exhausted all the time, and it was completely his fault. She resorted to brief naps in her office in the middle of the day. The first chance she got she was going to climb on top of him and slit his throat.

Her eyes winced as she struggled to review her latest case. Breech of contract, no problem. If only her eyes could stay open long enough to put her case together. She received a text message from Gar reminding her that it was her turn to cook dinner. She cursed. She completely forgot and was in no mood to cook. She texted Gar to meet her Dolce, and restaurant she liked downtown. She told her assistant to hold her calls at the end of the day to avoid getting another case load.

She didn't really want to spend the evening with Gar. She was too tired to deal with his prying. She was seated immediately when she arrived and ordered a white Russian on the rocks before the waiter could bring her a menu. She sighed. Tired was not a good look for her. She closed her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. It was getting kind of long. She opened them when she felt a person standing over her. The waiter placed the drink and a menu in front of her. Suddenly a shadow overcastted her booth.

Dick Grayson was leaning against the booth with that cocky grin plastered all over his face. Raven scowled as he slid into the seat across from her.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" she growled.

"Garfield wanted me to tell you that he had to work late. You weren't answering your phone and he didn't want you to get lonely so he called me." he said pulling off his black pea coat.

Raven felt her temper rising. His presence was instantly draining. "That's bullshit." she replied grabbing her purse and coat and preparing to leave.

Instead of grabbing her wrist and pulling her back into her seat, like she expected, he took a pack of cigarettes out of the inside pocket of his jacket. He stuck the end in mouth while he lit it. That fucking hypocrite.

"What's the matter Kitten? Do I have you so shaken you can't stand to sit across from me?"

"No!" she defended too quickly.

He smirked. It pissed her off. "Prove it." he said. Raven hesitated. She didn't trust a word he said, and even dinner could be a ploy in his little games. "We're in public, what's the worst that could happen?"

"A lot."

Dick pondered this. "Alright, have dinner with me and I promise no shenanigans. I'll keep my hands to myself and answer any questions you may have for me."

Curiosity rose within her. She tried to fight it. As dangerous Dick was he was also intensely fascinating. Raven had come from a place darker than any imaginable corner of hell. She often times wondered in Dick came from a similar place of destruction. She glanced at the door and then back at Dick's cocky smile. Now or never. She dropped her purse into the booth and slid back into her seat.

Her eyes iced. "Fine, but first sign of your irritating antics and I'm out of here."

The corners of his mouth turned up. "You find my antics irritating." He said amused.

Dick reminded Raven a lot of Hannibal Lector. He lied habitually and yeat was extremely intelligent and charming. "No, I'm asking the questions remember." she said harshly as she let her coat slide off.

Dick brushed it off, and sat up cheerfully. He seemed much more energetic today. He probably just sodomized a Catholic school girl, or something or the sort.

"Let's make it a game. Excuse me honey." he said a passing waitress who looked extremely tired and irritated. Her eyes perked up when Dick smiled at her. "Would you mind getting us a round of drinks?" If it were any other man she probably would have slapped him for calling her 'honey'.

"I'll have wine." Raven said running her fingers through her hair. Wine would really assuage the tension, and it might perk her up a little.

Dick's ice blue eyes flashed toward Raven. "Live a little. How about a round of Herencia de Plata Tequila Blanco."

The waitress nodded before rushing back to the kitchen. Raven scoffed and rummaged through her pocketbook until she found her cigarette case. Dick watched curiously as she held it between her red lips. Dick was intrigued by Raven's unusual beauty. Her dark raven hair, glittered dark purple streaks when the light stroked it the right way. The lightness of her eyes and paleness of her skin, contrasted with the darkness of her hair. She was pale, but she didn't appear sickly. And those eyes...

Those deep violet, Elizabeth Taylor eyes. He had never seen such a pair before in his life. He was beginning to think they were just a myth. It was only suitable that Raven's eyes were as rare a specimen as she. I never imagined a woman so close to himself. She was hot, don't get him wrong. A small waist, perky tits, curvy, feminine hips, but he had fucked a Hollister model once. It was the fire in her eyes that enticed him. She would be his, that he would make sure. Plus it only helped that he was sure Raven was something that needed to be experienced between the sheets.

Raven inhaled the nicotine. She looked up to see Dick's head tilted towards her, watching her. There was an odd look shimmering in his eyes. They were burning with desire. Raven turned away and shifted uncomfortably under his glaze. She was glad when the waitress arrived with a platter of shot glasses. She immediately reached for a glass.

"Easy Kitten, that's one hundred percent pure, unadulterated tequila." the smirk returned. "You might hurt yourself little girl."

Raven scoffed. How dare he? "Oh please, like I've never had tequila before." She tipped back the glass in defiance, and downed the whole glass in one gulp. The burn was like no alcohol she had ever tasted before. The acid ran smoothly down her throat and hit the pit of her stomach, the acid trailing down her digestive system. "Holy shit." she rasped, setting the glass down.

"What did I tell you." Dick said triumphantly.

Raven took a sip water. "I didn't see your hand reaching for a glass tough guy."

Dick pondered this for a moment. He reached out a grabbed a glass. He tossed his head back, swallowed, and placed the empty glass back on the tray. He simply shrugged. Raven wondered if he really was immune to the spice of tequila or if he was just putting on a brave face to impress her.

"I'm still waiting after a moment."

Raven slowly exhaled the cigarette smoke. "Waiting?" she asked. Her voice raspy and sultry.

"I offered to answer any questions that you may have for me. Shenanigan free, but you have yet to ask me any. I made that offer nearly fifteen minutes ago."

Raven was silent for a moment. "Does the offer still stand?"

"Of course."

"Okay, then-"

"Wait." Dick interrupted. "I take issue with this arrangement. Why do you get to delve into the deepest, darkest parts of my psyche, and I don't get to tread through the roots of your personal dysfunction? I think, granted I answer your questions honestly I get to ask you a question."

Raven rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised. She knew he would go back on their agreement. "Fair- enough. But I warn you I'll know when you're lying."

Dick's eyes flashed danger. Her challenge was enticing. "Likewise. So let's make a game. The lying game. Every time one of us suspects the other of lying we call them out on it. If they are correct they get to ask the next question and the other person takes a shot. If they are wrong they take a shot and the other person asks the next question."

Raven felt a bubble of excitement. If lying were a sport she would be on the U.S. Olympic team. She loved a challenge almost as much as she loved lying. She felt more than confident that she could prove her sense of control to Dick. She had been hoping to do so for awhile now. "Miss Roth, since this was originally on your terms of agreement why don't you start."

She thought about it momentarily. "What's you favorite movie?" She asked taking in a puff of smoke.

Dick laughed mockingly. "What's my favorite movie?" He sat back a little disappointed that she had asked him something deeper. But it was still early. "The Godfather part one. My turn- where were you born?"

"Anchorage, Alaska." She said blandly.

"Lies." He stated bluntly.

A smile curved Raven's mouth. She took a glass off of the tray and slowly brought it to her lips. She then placed it back on the table in front of her and slid it over to Dick. His smile fell of a moment, but he quickly took it in stride and threw back the golden liquid.

"Alaska?" He said slightly surprised, but keep his reactions under control. "That cold, God forsaken hunk of ice out in the middle of nowhere? Hm, interesting."

Raven stubbed out the nub of her cigarette in the ash tray on the table. "Uh," she didn't know if it was too early to get personal. She momentarily thought of the one night stand she had with the school library with a British exchange student that she had met twenty minutes prior. _Fuck it_. "Who is the best fuck you've ever had?"

Dick couldn't suppress the grin. Now they were talking. "Well," he started slowly. "Let's see. To start I had a pretty memorable time with a Czechoslovakian swim suit model awhile back. But I also had a pretty amazing weekend with this yoga instructor." His eye flashed her. "But I would have to say the best was with Sondra Leighton, the mother of one of my high school friends. I was seventeen at the time and she was forty-one. It was really a Benjamin Braddock- Mrs. Robinson type of deal."

"Sound pretty stereotypical." Raven stated suspiciously.

"Are you accusing me of lying?" Dick said his eyes flashing toward a shot glass.

Raven's eyes followed his. She wasn't sure she wanted take the risk. Besides that it was a stupid thing to lie about. She shook her head slightly. The light caught the waves of her hair. Dick's fingers itched to touch them.

She sighed dejectedly. "What's your question?"

Dick expelled his libido. He had been dying to ask her this. "How old were you when you lost your virginity?"

Raven looked away from him and didn't answer immediately. She inhaled pushing the memories away from her. It was a long time ago, and those feelings were irrelevant to today. She would tell him the truth. Facts and nothing more. "Voluntarily? Fourteen."

Dick was silent for a moment. His face remained even. Finally he shrugged. "Beat me by a year."

Nine shots, fourteen truths, and nine lies later, Raven was feeling pretty buzzed. She was beginning to regret drinking on an empty stomach. Dick watched her amusement as she struggled to light a cigarette. "You're drunk." he told her.

Her eyes flashed annoyance. "I- I am not." She stuttered. "Are- are you going to ask a fucking question or-or what?"

Dick shrugged. "Okay." It was finally time. "Are you afraid of me?"

Raven's eyes narrowed. "How vain is man?" she scoffed and leaned in closer to him. "I am going to tell you this one time- I am not nor will ever be afraid of you."

It was Dick's turn to scoff. "Please I saw you the other night. I must say I am surprised. You are so much like myself I expected more from you. Perhaps I was naive to think that you had seen and done it all." His voice was so sinister.

Raven sat up straighter. "I've never raped anyone you fucking psychopath."

He shrugged his broad shoulder and sighed. "And unfortunately you will never have the pleasure. Your anatomy prevents the experience." He titled his head towards the side. "But for you there's something else-"

"Stop it." Raven warned.

"Remember that night a few days ago when I asked you if you had daddy issues." His mouth curved. "Well judging by your reaction to the situation, I think I've figured it out."

Raven's teeth grinded together. "Fuck you. My father never molested me." She said matter-of-factly.

"Then who did?"

The question hung in the air between them. Raven felt her anger rising. Her clenching fists caused her nails to dig into the palm of her hand underneath of the table. Her breathing hallowed and she resisted the urge to chug the remaining red contents of her wine glass. She was already going to wake up with a massive headache. She needed the last part of her judgment to keep Dick from pulling her panties down as soon as they got back to her house. Who knows, maybe he would drag her to the restroom and have his way with her there.

Raven stubbed out the remains of her second cigarette. "I think I'm just going to leave." she said standing up unsteadily.

"Wait." he said grabbing onto her sleeve and yanking her back down. He smiled mischievously. "I want to play a game."

Raven scoffed. "I'm done with your games."

"C'mon. I'll make a bet with you." Raven stared at him blankly. Her curiosity was piqued once again. Dick's eyes scanned the thick crowd that had settled at the bar. They set on a particularly uptight looking, middle aged woman. Raven's eyes followed his and promptly rolled at his selection. She was at _least _thirty-nine. "I bet that I can get her on her knees in no more than fifteen minutes."

Raven scoffed again. "Please."

"Well, Miss Roth if you're so sure of the impossible than you should accept our little wager without a problem." Raven stilled looked unwilling. "If you win I'll be out of your house by noon tomorrow and you'll never see or hear from me again."

"Am suppose to take your word for it?" she said frostily.

"You can take your chances." Dick and Raven held their glaze for a long moment. Dick continued. "If I win-"

"I won't sleep with you." Raven interrupted promptly.

Dick seemed to take this into consideration. "Alright." he said after a moment of pondering. "If I win then...you have to give me a lap dance."

Raven choked on the shock. "I have to what!"

"Give-me-a-lap-dance." Dick repeated slowly and sarcastically. "A lap dance; a provocative or erotic dance that is typically performed by a person of the female persuasion that involves the straddling of the lap of the other person or persons involved. And don't give me that innocent look. We both know perfectly well it wouldn't be the first time dry humped for a favor."

Anger rippled through Raven. How dare he insinuate such a thing, even if was true. Still, that didn't give him the right to make assumptions about her sexual peccancies. Raven took another long hard look at the innocent victim of their latest game of cruel intentions. Her back was perfectly erect, she ordered seltzer water and lime without even looking at the menu, and her hair was pulled in a tight bun. This woman had fuck off written all over her soon to be botoxed face.

Raven smiled. "I accept. And _when _you lose, make the bed before you leave first thing in the morning."

Raven's confidence, which was borderline arrogance, made Dick's eyes burn. The corners of his mouth turned up as he wordlessly slid out of their booth. Raven watched him slither through the throng of people and made his way to the bar. He leaned against the spot where the target was sitting, but instead of striking immediately he ignored her and ordered a vodka tonic. Raven pulled her cell phone out of her bag and clutched it in her hand. One minute down, fourteen to go.

The woman scanned Dick, but quickly turned her gaze away when Dick turned towards her. There was moment of silence before Dick said something to her. Before Raven's eyes could widen in horror, Dick had slid into the seat next to her and there they were chatting it up about something, that this obvious slut found hysterical.

Dick turned on the charm and went hard. He was flirting-no seducing- intensely. His hand discreetly fell to her thigh. Raven glanced at her phone nervously, willing time to move faster. 12:11 the bet officially ended at 12:19. Her heart began to beat against her chest cavity. The thought of having to strip down and straddle Dick Grayson's lap utterly repulsed her. She would rather grind a cactus.

Dick moved closer to the woman's ear and was whispering something that made her back bristle. Her cheeks flushed a bright red color, but she nodded curtly. They both hopped off of the bar stools and Dick took her by the hand and began leading her towards the back of the restaurant. He winked at Raven as they passed her table. They disappeared behind the bathroom door.

Raven glanced around to make sure no one was watching. She stood up slightly unsteadily and began to make her way towards the bathroom. It was at that moment that Raven realized that she was drunker than usual, and suddenly the five inch heels that she was wearing seemed like a bad idea. She held onto the wall for support. She pushed the bathroom door open slightly and slid in. Peeking around the corner she could see Dick's leg standing up in one of the stalls halfway down the restroom. The woman was kneeling in front of him.

Raven stared vacantly and sighed dejectedly. She glanced down at her cell phone again. 12:16. "Fuck." she cursed loud enough for them to both hear her, and stormed out the quickest of her ability in her slightly inebriated state. She sat back down at her table absolutely dreading the moment Dick would come walking out of that restroom. She could see that smug little grin of self satisfaction now.

_Wait._ She though suddenly. _Why wait and face the humiliation? _No, to do that would be to admit defeat. Yes, it was such a simple solution that she probably would have thought up sooner if her solar plexus wasn't full of tequila and vodka. She would just leave. Who was keeping her there? Give Dick Grayson a lap dance- in what universe! Not only would she bail on their bet, but she'd stick him with the bill as well. She dug though her pocketbook to retrieve her car keys and found that they weren't there. She rummaged through in an almost panicked state. Finally she opened the mouth of her bag and dumped the contents onto the table. A cell phone, her cigarette case, two bic lighters, a stick of gum, two dollars and forty-one cents in change, fourteen receipts, a tampon, her wallet, and a tube of lipstick.

_That motherfucking, son- of- a -bitch! _

He stole her god damn car keys! He had planned this whole night. It all made sense to her now. He probably stole Gar's phone and lured her down there with some fake text message. She wouldn't be surprised if he paid that bitch that was giving him head, to show up and go along with his plan. It sounded crazy, even to Raven but who knew what that compulsively lying, psychopath was capable of.

Raven flagged down the waitress. "Are you ready to pay maim?" she asked politely.

"Get me a Dead Bastard on the rocks." She said as a rather pleased looking Dick Grayson exited the bathroom, his dishelmed looking conquest stumbling after him. "Keep them coming."

* * *

Dick had forbidden Raven from driving. By the time they had left the restaurant, a quarter to one, she was completely plastered. In the car she was livid about the ordeal that had transpired about a half an hour ago.

"Y- you think. " she could barely keep a sentence together. "Fuck you. You th-ink just because you got Kory to suck your dick that I'm go to-to do that. Well, you can just go- fuck yourself. Guess who told her how to do that!" She snorted and started laughing at herself.

Dick who was driving managed to ignore her the duration of the drive home, found her drunken antics to be most annoying. Before they were out of the city limits he pulled over in front of a twenty-four hour convenient store. "Wait here." he commanded.

He returned quickly carrying a bottle of minute maid orange juice. "Here drink this." he said warily handing her the bottle. She refused. Dick had. had just about enough. He roughly grabbed her chin and tilted her head back. He poured the juice down her throat and held his hand over her mouth. He used his other hand to pinch her nose closed. "Swallow!" he said menacingly.

Raven tried to resist but in depleted welfare fighting him was impossible. Begrudgingly she swallowed. Dick's hand slowly retreated. The frightening experience made her sober up quickly. The rest of the ride home was silent. Raven's stomach dropped when she saw Garfield's empty parking spot in the garage. Dick pulled into the garage. The door closing was resembled the curtain falling on stage. Dick got out of the car, and Raven watched him move over to her side of the car. He opened the door like a gentleman. She hesitated but slowly slid out of the car.

Dick said nothing but followed her closely, into the house. He grabbed her by the hand and led her upstairs into the guest room. He shut the down behind him. The room was completely dark. He dropped her hand moved his own to her cheek. His thumb ran across the bone of her cheek. "Listen Kitten, we can either do this the easy way or the hard way." Raven opened her mouth to give a snippy retort but his words were quickly. "But just know that I am a man who is use to having his way. You can kick and scream all you want but it's going to happen."

He arm dropped to his side. He slowly backed up and sat in a black leisure chair. Raven glanced at the door and turned towards the dark outline in the darkness that was Dick Grayson. Her hand reluctantly reached towards the bottom of her shirt. She pulled her sweater over her head exposing her black push up bra. Dick's face remained stone. She reached behind her and slowly undid the zipper of her skirt. Her skirt dropped and pooled around her feet.

"Leave them on." Dick said as she reached down to remove her shoes. Five inch, black, platform pumps. A gift from Garfield no less. The irony was staggering.

Raven slowly moved towards Dick. When she was a few inches in front of him, he grabbed her hand and slowly brought it to his lips. "Dance for daddy." he whispered running his hand over the curves of her hips. Raven remained still for a moment. She had never felt more uncomfortable in her life. She put her hands on his shoulders and began by swishing her hips in front of him, and then moving in a circular motion.

_God. _She thought. _I haven't done this since college. _

She slid onto his lap and leaned all the way back before flipping upward, tossing her hair lightly against his face. She grinded against his lap and steadied herself on his knees. His hands attached to her miniscule waist. To her surprise, and somewhat annoyance, his eyes didn't reveal lust or passion or even arousal. His eyes studied her carefully as if he were analyzing her.

He wasn't even hard, which pissed her off. He had gone through all the trouble to get her partially nude and dry humping him, the least he could do was get a fucking hard on! Raven was somewhat confused. Was this part of his little game? Well, he would pay for that. She picked up his hands and moved them from her collarbone, done her breast, and onto her thighs. He ran his hands up her thighs, as she continued to groove against him. Raven didn't know if the music suddenly came on or if it had always been on and she was just now noticing it, but suddenly _When Doves Cry _was blasting through the stereo.

She could feel Dick's heart speed up in the pulse of his neck. Keeping one hand on her thigh, he ran the other back up to her neck and kissed the side of it. Maybe it was all the liquor but Raven was starting to feel increasingly turned on, and by the sudden firmness of Dick's pants she could tell that so was he.

His hand headily grabbed her waist and he continued to stroke the side of her neck with his tongue. The smell of her sweet perfume was intoxicating. He kissed the bottom of her chin, before his lips desperately attached to her lips. Their mouths battled for dominance while they used their tongues as swords. His hands fumbled for her hair, tangling his fingers in her raven strands.

_Sweet control!_ Her mind screamed. While she still maintained control she slid off away from him, seduction burning in her eyes. Her violet orbs were on fire. She slid back onto him, backwards this time so that her glut was pressed against his lap. She thrust against him his hand reached across her stomach feeling the heat of her belly beneath his fingertips. He continued to caress his mouth against her neck, attaching them occasionally to her mouth. His free hand slid into her bra, fondling her flesh of her breast. He played with her teat between his fingers, eliciting a gentle moan of pleasure from her. His hand reached behind her unclasping her bra.

He pulled the straps down her arms and flung it off to the side. His arm wrapped around arm stomach and the other lowered into the band of her panties. Raven gasped in pleasure as he commenced a circular motion around her clit with his thumb. He slowly inserted one finger, getting a rush of excitement as she shivered on top of him. He quickly took up pace, matching the speed of his fingers to the volume of her moaning. Raven began to instinctively rotate her hips in a circular motion. She felt engulfed by lustful recklessness. All self control abandoned, she began to wonder why she resisted Dick in the first place. The rational part of her knew that anything seemed like a good idea in the throws of passion.

Raven began to feel her muscles contract, and her knees buckled together. Suddenly the bedroom door was thrown open. Raven startled and Dick froze. There standing in the doorway was a very distraught looking Garfield.

_-"So happy I die and it's alright."-_

* * *

And that's where we end. So what happened was, literally six days after my last update the backlight to my laptop went out. I brought it to a friend of mine who fixes computers and a couple of days ago she told me my laptop was rejecting the backlight and now I have to replaced the entire LCD for a frigging lightbulb. Even now I'm typing from the famly computer and finding time to myself if difficult. To make amends I will definately update during the Christmas break and try my best to update again before the break is over.

P.S. To those of you who have read 4 chapters of this and can't tell by now this is an AU fiction. Don't like it, don't read, and don't waster your time reviewing because I will simply ignore it and continue to do whatever I want.

So Happy I Could Die- Yes, it's Lady Gaga. Their all Lady Gaga. They will all be Lady Gaga so yeah.

Happy Holidays to all.


	5. Fear of Herself

A promise is a promise.

* * *

_-"Some girls won't dance to the beat of the track/ She won't walk away but she won't look back." Dance in the Dark_

There was more tension in that room then at the surrender at Appomattox. Raven was in complete shock. Not because she cared enough about Garfield's feeling for the guilt to set in, but more because for the first time in her life she had gotten caught right in the act.

Garfield's expression could only be described as shocked. He looked at Dick and then at Raven, then at Dick again and then back to Raven. There was a long excruciating moment of unbearable silence. Raven finally scrambled off of Dick's lap and covered her nude body with a discarded bathrobe. Garfield's face turned an unusual shade of bright red. He crossed the room faster than anyone had seen and sent a hard punch to Dick's face. Raven's mouth dropped. She had never seen him behave so aggressively. It kind of turned her on.

Blood trickled out of the corner of Dick's mouth. Garfield stood heaving in anger, then a look of horror. He wordlessly stormed out of the room. Raven stared at Dick who wiped the blood from his mouth keeping his face relatively even. She was satisfied that in some way he had gotten his comeuppance. She followed Garfield out of the room.

He was halfway down the corridor, leaning against the wall with his head in his hands. Raven stopped upon sighting him. She slowly approached him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Garfield-" She started.

He smacked her hand away from him. "Don't touch me!" he growled.

She sighed and let her arm drop to her side. Garfield ran shaky hands through his hair. His chest was heaving. The sounds of his heavy breathing filled the hallway. After a long moment Garfield stood up. His eyes were wild and reddened.

"Why?" He finally choked.

Raven was surprised by the question. She opened her mouth to answer, but abruptly closed it. "I-" She started choosing her words carefully. She still needed to keep him around for a little while. "Because-"

"Raven," He cut in before she could give an answer. "I have sensed for awhile that you are no longer happy. I want to make you happy, I think- I _know _that I can make you happy and I'm sorry. Whatever I did to make you unhappy I am sorry."

It took whatever will power that Raven possessed to not scowl and then laugh in his face. She suddenly lost the infinitesimal amount of respect she still had for him. It was almost more than she could bear. If she weren't currently in a battle of the wills against Dick Grayson should would have called him a pussy whipped loser, tell him he needed to grow a pair, and send him on his way. Instead she took a deep breath, and let indifference send her into autopilot.

"Garfield," She started slowly. "I- well my feelings for you have changed and I find that I no longer feel the same way I felt about you, or at least that's what I thought. So, he offered me something new, something different. And I'll not lie I had a few drinks and I fell into that trap, but now I realize that my feelings for you haven't changed and I still want to be with you."

She fed him the best bullshit she could muster. Her confession, as false as it was, was enough to make bile rise in her throat. She hoped in the least it was enough to get him to forgive her long enough to get Dick Grayson permanently out of her life. Garfield was silent he leaned against the wall, staring at the floor. Raven stood in silence waiting for him his emotions to return to her control.

He pulled her into his chest. She was caught by surprise and stumbled into his arms. He rocked her gently and kissed the top of her head. Raven cringed at his tenderness. She just needed to grin and bear it.

"I love you." He said finally.

"I know." She whispered softly.

"Do you love me?" He muttered into her hair.

"Yes." She answered a little too quickly.

"Tell me."

Raven shifted uncomfortably. "Garfield." She breathed into his ear.

Her eyes penetrated his. _Lie to Me. Hypnotize. Seduce. I don't care. _His eyes went into a haze. He was completely under her spell. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Her exposed collarbone brushed against lips. He caught a whiff of her hair. He made himself drunk of cucumber and melon. Her lips attached to his. His hands wandered down to her waist.

She stepped backwards taking him with her. He pushed him into her bedroom quickly staggering over carelessly discarded clothes. His back roughly fell onto her mattress. She was on top of him before he could catch his breath. She forced her lips against his, headily. Her fingered ran over the ridges in chest and abs.

She straddled on top of him, a nibbled at his bottom lips. _Intoxication. Passion. Lie to me. _She hungrily yanked his shirt over head. He sat up bolt straight, desperate to get her clothes off. He roughly pulled the string of her bathrobe and tossed it side. His eyes ran over her body. Her ample chest, tight stomach, toned legs. Her dark hair draped over her shoulders and framed her face.

His hand reached up and grabbed her breast. He flipped her over so that he was on top of her. Raven's fingers ran over the hard muscles of his back before falling to his belt. She undid his belt buckle with expert speed. She moaned his name. He leaned down and kissed her collarbone and neck inhaled her perfume. He smelled the same perfume that Dick had swallowed a few moments ago.

He stopped moving and climbed off of Raven. "What?" She panted.

Garfield turned around so that his back was facing her. How many other men had fallen for her? How many other men had been between her thighs? How many other men had fucked her? It was at that moment that Garfield had realized that Raven, the woman who he had given his heart to and loved, was a whore.

"God damn it!" He screamed punching the wall. Raven wrapped the sheets around her chest.

She remained silent. She had never seen Garfield so angry.

"Raven," he said finally. "I can't keep you. I can't keep you because I can't make you happy and I am sorry that it's taken me this long to see how selfish I've been."

"What?" she said perplexed.

He crossed the room and grabbed her hand. "Goodbye my lover."

Raven yanked her hand out of his. "Wait a minute _you're _leaving _me_."

Garfield proceeded to break into a long diatribe about why their relationship would not have survived much longer, and how it was emotionally beneficial that neither of them continue to stimulate their relationship when it was doomed to failure. Of course Raven had conceived this herself long before their relationship, on Garfield's part had become serious. His harangue went on long enough for her to get dressed and make the bed. Her annoyance with him had transformed into utter rage.

"-and with that being said," Gar continued. "I think that maybe we aren't emotionally mature enough for a monogamous relationship."

Raven stared at him incredulously. There was a painfully long moment between them. Suddenly, before she could stop herself, Raven picked up the closet blunt object and viciously chucked it at Garfield. It nearly missed his head, put a black dent in the wall, and broke into a million pieces. He should have known better than to break up with a girl within arms length of a porcelain vase.

Raven steadied her breath before continuing. "Go learn how to fuck you cock sucking faggot!" She screamed at him.

Garfield made a few more remarks in a vain attempt to calm her. She responded my making graphic insults and degrading slurs. After about a half an hour of the heated exchange Garfield packed up a suitcase and left. Raven sat on the edge of bed pondering the strangeness of the whole event. How could she have been so careless? She sighed dejectedly before leaning back onto her mattress. There were plenty more where he came from. She'd find one soon- maybe even tomorrow.

The sky outside had gone from pitch black to a blue-purplish shade of twilight. She hadn't realized how much time had passed. It was almost five in the morning. Her head was pounding; this was too much before breakfast. Her teeth snapped together, she wanted to sleep but she was consumed in anger at her own folly.

_Stupid, careless woman! _

How could she have let herself fall to Dick Grayson? She knew everything about the way he operated. She knew all of his little games and tricks. It made her sick to think about how close she had come to getting into bed with him. She tried to go back to her thought process. What the hell had she been thinking? She had felt so in control like she always did when she seduced a man, but this time it had been so out of control and mindless. It had been so primal and animalistic, no words between them and yet somehow it had managed to feel...right.

She shook the thought from her mind. She would have to be on high alert. Having almost forgot about Dick Grayson she realized she needed an ally and quick. He was staying in her house for God's sake! It would be so easy for him to slip into her bedroom at night, rape her in her sleep, and proceed to slice her jugular. Raven was aware of the fact that she was being a tad bit dramatic, but she was almost positive that if Dick were the murdering type he could very easily get away with it.

Raven slid under her comforter. The heavy down made her feel hot, but she cherished the isolation. Buffy hopped onto the bed and settled into a spot next to her head on top of the blanket. She purred lowly. Raven's eyes felt tired and heavy but her mind felt active. She lay underneath her blanket surrounded by the white sheets feeling like she was in an insane asylum.

Raven didn't remember falling asleep, but was promptly startled awake by her alarm clock at five thirty five. She struggled to untangle herself from underneath of her blankets and hit the snooze. She lay on her stomach against the coolness of her unused pillows. Her body felt sweaty from the heat. She mustered enough strength to kick the blanket to the floor. She took a deep breath and bathed herself in silence preparing to embrace exhaustion and sleep until noon.

"Ahem." came a voice from her door.

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up bolt straight. She wasn't surprised at all to see Dick Grayson leaning in her doorway. He had the nerve to make five o'clock shadow look good _and_ be shirtless in her bedroom. She stared at him blankly for a minute.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she said evenly.

He scoffed. She could see him smirking in the darkness. "You know you should really consider sound proofing your walls. I heard what happened and I just wanted to see if you were alright Kitten."

Raven groaned loudly before dropping herself back into bed. She pulled her comforter back onto the bed and buried herself in it. "Go away!" her muffled voice demanded.

Dick remained silent for awhile. She listened closely to sound of his shuffling feet. "Interesting," He began slowly. "That Garfield would return just when you were about to submit to your own desire."

Raven brought herself into a sitting position. "What did you say?"

Dick shrugged casually. "I was just commenting on queer it was that Garfield would show up at the worst possible time."

Her heart pumped in her chest as she struggled to maintain her poker face. No, he was just messing with her. He was taking advantage of the situation just to irk her. There was no way he could have planned the whole thing. It was too complex to fathom. It was too cynical. It was too insane. No, there was no way...It was just a coincidence.

Dick's face turned stone and not amused the way Raven was expecting. He glided across the room, Raven's eyes watching him suspiciously. He sat at the edge of the bed. Raven tried to keep her heart inside of her chest. His warm hand reached out touched the side of her face. His head tilted. Raven watched his finger as they rubbed her cheek. He reached out a brushed a piece of hair out of her face before dropping his hand to his side.

"When I was in school- well before I was expelled- I hated poetry. I found it trite and extremely dull. But that's beside the point. There was this one poem by Thomas Hardy which I found quiet interesting and timeless." He said.

"Had he and I but met by some ancient inn we should have sat us down to wet right many a nipperkin. But ranged as infantry, And staring face to face, I shot at him and he at me, And killed him in his place. I shot him dead because –Because he was my foe, Just so – my foe of course he was; That's clear enough; although."

He paused before continuing."He thought he'd 'list perhaps, Off-hand like – just as I –Was out of work – had sold his traps –No other reason why. Yes; quaint and curious war is! You shoot a fellow down. You'd treat if met where any bar is, Or help to half-a-crown"

Raven swallowed before answering. "I think it applies here very nicely."

He shrugged indifferently. "I liked Garfield he was an- honest man, but he was in the way. He'll survive, get over you, and find some nice wholesome Christian girl to marry and settle down with."

She was finding it difficult to engage with him. She tried to prevent her disturbance from seeping to the surface. "Is that part of the plan?" she asked sarcastically.

His face hardened and his eyes darkened. "It's _all_ part of the plan." He said grimly.

He didn't give Raven time to reply. He stood up and slid across the room leaving an icy trail behind him. "Sweet dreams Kitten." He said on his way out.

Raven spent the next fifteen minutes staring at the spot where he had left. Her mind kept going back to the night they had first met, the promise he had made her. _I want to watch you burn_. He was more destructive than she could have ever imagined. In a matter of two weeks he had managed to destroy the relationship she had built for years with Garfield and inflicted sever blunt force trauma on her mentality. God, she had been so stupid to let herself get so physically close to him. How could she have made such a stupid mistake? She had been wrong. She thought she could handle him because she thought he knew him. She realized she had no idea what sick little things went through his mind. He was nothing like her.

He was much worse.

* * *

Kory called Raven and insisted on having a girl's afternoon. Raven couldn't muster enough energy to reject her. She was secretly glad for Kory's persistence. She needed to get out of house, be away from men. Kory arranged to pick Raven up at eleven sharp. So naturally she showed up at ten thirty and had Raven dressed and out of the house at ten forty-five. She treated for spa messages and pedicures which went on well past brunch time. They enjoyed lunch at the Marriot before spending the afternoon at the mall.

Three shoe stores, eight Alicia Keys songs, and seven credit card swipes later Raven was beyond Kory's company. Kory spent most of the day babbling on while Raven listened passively and nodded at the appropriate moments. Raven fell into plush chair in the Unicorn Boutique, while Kory tried on an overpriced Mischka Badgley dress.

"Raven, are you alright?" Kory asked while she examined herself in the mirror.

Raven hadn't been able to really relax all morning. Even when the masseuse pointed out all of the stress related knots in her neck and back, she found her mind wandering back to Dick Grayson. She needed to get rid of him immediately. She was done playing this game. It wasn't fun anymore and she didn't want any part of it. She briefly considered maybe renting a hotel room until he got the hint and left, but she quickly squashed that idea. She was much too proud to let him scare her out of her own house. Besides there were no guarantees that he would leave her alone.

Raven sighed. "Nothing Kory."

Kory turned from her post at the mirror. "Please Raven you have barely said a word all day."

"It's nothing really. I'm just-" she said the first thing that came to mind. "I don't know PMSing or something."

Kory fell into the seat next to her and stared at her sympathetically. "Raven, Garfield called me this morning."

Raven let her head fall back against the chair and stared at the ceiling. So that's why Kory was so ardent on taking her out this morning. If she was sleeping regularly her mind would have been able to conceive that. Kory had, after all, introduced them. "What do you know?"

"Not much. He didn't go into details." She said thoughtfully. "All he said was that something happened between you two and that he's not sure you guys could work through it. Whatever it is you two can work it out."

Raven wasn't sure if she wanted to tell Kory everything. On one hand she desperately needed to vent, but she would purposely have to dance around the subject of Dick Grayson. Kory would feel all betrayed and get emotional and Raven was not in the mood to put up with it right now. She would play to sympathy card.

"I don't know Kory. He moved out this morning."

Kory suddenly pulled her into a back breaking hug. Raven tensed at her touch. "Okay that's enough." she said quickly.

They were interrupted by the bell at the front door. Kory released Raven with tears in her eyes. She sniffed. Raven stood up and pretended to examine a rack of earrings, just so that she would have an excuse to get up and roll her eyes. While Kory went into the changing room to return to her normal attire, Raven began to contemplate her escape plan.

"Pardon Madame." A sudden French accent caught her attention.

She could tell he was a student tourist by his red soccer jacket and the expensive looking Nikon camera hanging around his neck. He looked exactly like Diego Luna. She suddenly became aware of her appearance. She was almost grateful to Kory for forcing her into this curve hugging black dress and push up bra.

Taking down guys just like this made her feel powerful. "Oui."

He looked pleasantly surprised. "Oh you speak francais?"

She placed the bracelet she had been holding back on the table to give him a good peek at her cleavage and whiff of her perfume. He shivered. "I studied in college." She answered casually.

He shook himself back into reality. "Uh- I- I'm new around here and I am having a difficult time getting back to my hotel. Are you familiar with the area? I am staying at the Marriot."

At that moment Kory exited the dressing room. She stopped in her tracks when she saw the exchange between Raven and the foreign boy. She smiled to herself before slithering up to Raven.

"Kory, did you hear that? He needs help finding his way back to the Marriott." Raven said conspicuously queuing in Kory.

She got the hint. "What a coincidence, we just left there."

"What kind of people would we be if we let him wander through the city clueless of his location, and I'm terrible at giving directions. We should bring him back to his room."

Kory glanced at her cell phone. "Uh actually there is some...important business that I need to attend to but that shouldn't stop you from performing a civic duty and accompanying him."

Kory retreated to the cash register to pay for her dress. She winked at Raven as she stepped into the street her potential boy toy in toe. "Are you sure this is okay? I don't want to burden you. If it's a problem I'm sure I can manage."

Raven's lips curved into a smile. "Really it's no problem at all."

* * *

Antoine, as Raven had come to learn his name, immediately invited her up to his suite. She had at first refused claiming she had somewhere she needed to be later. Of course he was captivated and intrigued by her, and half begged her come up with him. She agreed, "But only for ten minutes."

Raven sat on the lush bed her dress slid up to expose just the right amount of her toned thighs. Antoine sat in a chair a small distance from her. His hazel eyes frequently ran across her body. Her slender neck, her ample chest, her burning eyes. She pretended to not notice. Raven kept him waiting by asking him pointless questions about things she didn't care about. She had come to learn that he was twenty- four, three years younger than her, and had traveled to America to receive his masters in International Relations. He had been in America for six months, recently moving out of a relative's house and into a hotel while he searched for an apartment.

"What is the difference between American and French girls?" Raven asked demurely.

He shrugged. "French girls don't wear as much makeup and don't shave as much."

"Do you like American girls?" she asked as he stood up and crossed the room.

He didn't reply he just slid into the spot on the bed next to her. He pressed his lips against hers. It started off slow and quickly increased in intensity. _Say what you want about the French they sure know how to kiss. _His hand fumbled underneath of her dress and clumsily searched for the clasp of her bra. His hands slid up her waist.

Something just didn't feel...right. She didn't feel stimulated or excited or even turned on. Something was missing. There was no passion, nothing primal, nothing fun or at least not the way Raven was expecting. Not like last night. She pushed that thought out of her mind. Antoine removed his hands.

"I'll be right back." He told her breathlessly before hopping off the bed and disappearing into the bathroom.

"Fuck." Raven whispered to herself.

She groaned in annoyance. What was wrong with her? This was her area of expertise. Dick Grayson wasn't around to spoil it. She slid of the bed and pulled her dress down. She put her shoes back on and searched through his bed side table for a pen. She scribbled down her cell phone number on a blank index card and tossed it on the bed in case she changed her mind later.

It was half past eight by the time she made it back to her car. She took a leisurely trip back to her house and parked in the garage. She slithered into the kitchen and stood in the darkness. It was completely silent. No sign of him. Raven climbed the stairs and went into her bedroom. All of Garfield's things were gone, she noted and his house key lay on his abandoned night stand. She dumped her purse onto the bed.

She quickly undressed and climbed into the shower. The heat felt good against her skin. It was like the steam had cleared her mind and for the first time all day she felt peaceful and calm. Dick Grayson suddenly lost his importance, and everything returned to the way they had been three weeks ago. She was unconscious of how much time she had actually spent in the shower, but when the water started to cool she lathered her hair and rinsed. She begrudgingly turned the brass knob of the shower head, turning the water off.

Raven stood in the shower. Something didn't feel right. Suddenly the glass shower door flew open revealing a very cold looking Dick. Raven gasped. He quickly secured his arms around her waist and dragged her naked, soaking body out of the shower. Raven quickly overcame her shock and began to thrash wildly. He stumbled a few times on his way into her bedroom. As soon as he was close enough, he tossed her onto the bed. Her back sprang up against the mattress. Before Raven's breath could return Dick climbed on top of her.

Her dripping hair obscured her vision, but Raven blindly thrashed. Dick leaned up and took her arm and forced it into a prepared restraint that he had attached to the bed. Raven used her free hand to throw wild punches. With her other arm secure he had no problem restraining her free one. Dick's weight on top of her disabled her from moving very much. She could only move the parts of her legs below her knee and she couldn't move her torso at all.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she growled through her teeth.

He leaned forward. "Relax." he told her coldly kissing her neck.

Raven refused to fall for this again. She would not allow her body to control her. Dick proceeded to lick the side of her neck. His tongue slid down and her neck and chest and down to her naked hips. He slid his entire body down and nibbled at the skin of her hipbone. He removed his entire body from hers. Raven took advantage of this and helplessly kicked out. Dick grabbed her by the knees forcing her legs apart. His arms slid underneath of her thighs and secured on her knees. He kissed the inside of her knee and trailed his lips up to her thighs.

"What are you doing?" Raven said in a near whisper trying to expel the panic in her tone.

Dick ignored her and slid his tongue against the muscles in her legs. His cold eyes glanced at her penetrating her. He brought his tongue hungrily into her womanhood. Raven gasped out in surprised. Her knees buckled, but he held them apart in a tight grip. He flitted his tongue a few times earning a few involuntary moans. He slowly stroked her using his tongue, eventually increasing his speed.

Raven's knuckles turned white and her fingers curled into her hand. Her nails dug into her palms. Dick continued to flick and suck her clitoris. She could no longer control herself. The sounds she was making her very encouraging. It was easily the greatest pleasure she had ever known. She knew it was wrong, but it felt right. Her mind was muffled and she was once again betrayed by her body. Raven's muscles contracted and her body shivered as she groaned loudly.

Her body flattened against the mattress. Dick leaned over the front of the bed and removed her restraints. He grabbed her from around the waist and forcefully kissed her. She didn't attempt to fight him. Her lips fought his. Her fingers ran up and down his chest and stomach. She found herself nearly ripping his shirt apart. She bit his bottom lip drawing blood. She lapped up the warm substance and was disturbed by how good the metal and salt tasted.

Her eyes snapped open. She was falling for it again; into his trap. She was doing exactly what he wanted to do. Raven pulled away from him and sat up. She wrapped the now wet sheets around her body. She watched the darkness and listened to Dick's breathing beside her. She could feel him move beside her.

"Meet me tomorrow at the Palace Hotel at seven." He whispered in her ear.

Raven didn't say anything. Dick slid off of the bed and like a phantom was gone. What she had just done was beyond stupid and shameful. But somehow she felt awakened by it. She had always embraced her sexuality, but now it was like a new part of it had been born. An angry, animalistic part. She felt her will power breaking. She wandered if she really was a match for him. If she was, then why did she keep falling to him? She was so impulsive it would be impossible for her to tell if she'd actually show up tomorrow. She was still afraid of Dick, but now she also afraid of herself. _Self Destructive. _

_"Tomorrow at seven." _His voice rang in her head. Her mind fought an internal battle.

After all: everything looks better when the sun goes down.

_-"In the dark."-_

_

* * *

_

Sorry for the delay I was on vacation, I had a ton of supplements to write, and this took me awhile.

I will now take the time to address a problem that has been bothering a few of you. It has come to my attention that a small minority of reviewers has a problem, with the characterization of the protagonist and antagonist of this story and feels that they should pertain more to the Teen Titans television show. Fear Monster is an alternate universe fiction and to my admittance only loosely based on the cartoon series. In my defense this is certainly not the first AU fiction to be written and I can't help but wonder if all writers who write AU fictions are hassled in similar ways. It is very seldom now a day that my creativity is stimulated and I tend to find inspiration in the most curious places. I am more than satisfied with the outcome of this story and I refuse to derail this satisfaction by adhering to superficial bonds and chains on my creativity. If this minor detriment becomes too bothersome for anyone I invite you to please go read something else.

Happy New Years!


	6. Fear of Death

Only I know how it ends.

* * *

_"Some men may follow me/ But you choose death and company." Speechless-_

Pain was all the existed.

Raven was beginning to realize. Life was an endless chain of pain and suffering. It was mind boggling really. She came to this grim conclusion while she was staring at the tub drain, while she laid particularly immobile in the now lukewarm water of the bathtub. The bubbles had dissolved into mere suds and the detergent had died in her hair hardening the ends. She shivered as a cool chill ran across her shoulders. She sighed deeply and leaned back into the water letting what little heat there was left caress her skin.

"Why is everyone dying to live, if we're just living to die?" she asked herself.

Buffy, who had been sleeping on top of the pile of her discarded clothing opened one eye briefly and responded with a low purr. Raven brought the steamed glass of wine to her lips and downed the rest of its contents wishing that is was scotch. She didn't usually drink in the middle of the day time but after the week she had been having she deserved it. She strained her eyes to see the time. According to her watch which had been sitting on vanity a safe distance from the bathtub is was a quarter past four, which gave her little more than two hours.

She sighed deeply and sunk further into the depths of the water. She had been struggling with herself all morning. She slid until the water was above her head and held herself there. It would be so easy. Just hold herself there long enough...

There was a familiar burn in her lungs. It was a sensation that she had learned to hate. Her eyes immediate snapped open and she bolted up in the tub gasping for air as she reached the surface. A wave of water sailed over the edge of the tub soaking the floor. Buffy jolted up from where she had been laying and hissed before strutting out of bathroom.

Raven brushed the water and hair out of her face before deciding that bath time was over. She slid on the excess water and grabbed a terry bathrobe from the closet. She sat at the vanity examining herself and combing the tangles out of her wet hair. Raven sighed deeply. It was almost four thirty which gave her two and half hours to make a decision.

She had been on and off all morning. On one hand she could just let Dick fuck her. Get it over with. Zip, zip, bam, bam, she's done, she's dressed, she could get back to her life. It was so much more complex, like moral ambiguity. A clockwork orange. It seemed so simple on the surface, but in truth there were so many layers.

Even if she did just sleep with Dick there was no telling if he would get out of her life. He was a compulsive liar and she didn't trust for a minute that he meant what he said. Raven liked to think she was more strong willed than he gave her credit for, but part of her wasn't sure anymore. There was a part of her, a growing part, that was excited by their enticing albeit dangerous game of cat and mouse. She was attracted to the pertentousness and even the abuse.

Raven was started by a sudden knock outside her bedroom door. It was very faint, unnoticable to most people. Garfield always complained that Raven had super sonic hearing. She could hear him eating cereal in the kitchen all the way from her bedroom. She froze and remained still. Silence.

"Buffy?" she called knowing full well her cat was quieter than church mouse.

She rose from the vanity and tried to get a peak from the crack in the door. She took slow advancing steps avoiding the wet spots on the floor. She stopped at the door to her bedroom and peaked out of the crevice before pushing the door open. Her bedroom was completely unchanged. Her bed was still made from this morning. There was still the latest issue of _Vogue _laying face down in the wicker chair on top of her discarded black blazer.

Raven stepped fully into her room her feet dampening the cream colored carpet. She took in her surroundings and scanned the room. That's when she noticed it. An expensive looking baby blue garment box with a silver ribbon laying on her bed. She stared at it dumb founded. She glanced at the bedroom door and noted that it was shut, the way it had been all morning considering she had not left her bedroom. She shuffled over to the window and yanked that curtains back.

The patio was still as was the rest of the Hollywood hills. She pulled the curtain back to their resting place and stormed into the hallway. She grabbed onto the railing and leaned over. She listened for anything. Nothing. She turned back into her bedroom and stood in front of the mysterious box. She analyzed it like a kid on Christmas morning, except with much more suspicion.

Finally she determined that there was no bomb inside of it that would detonate if she removed the lid. She ripped the ribbon off and threw the cover to the ground. She stared at the item for a long silent minute. It was a gorgeous black Monique Lhuillier dress. Silk chiffon, jeweled halter, empire waist with sash. She had seen this dress on t.v. for Paris fashion week. It cost well over four thousand dollars.

She laid the dress carefully on the bed and looked it over up and down. She turned her attention towards the box. There was no note, but she already knew who it was from. Raven sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before returning to the bathroom. She found the bottle of wine sitting more than half empty on the counter. She poured herself another glass.

_What to do? What to do?_

Raven pulled the bottle drawer of her vanity which was filled with various prescriptions. Some for depression and some for insomnia. They ranged from anxiety to obsessive compulsive disorder. Whatever she could convince a psychiatrist to give her. She shifted through the dozens of orange bottles before she found the one she was looking for. Valium, her favorite. It was prescribed for her anxiety disorder and made her feel invincible whether she needed it or not. She shook the bottle until a little blue pill fell into the palm of her hand.

She considered taking it now, but decided it would better serve for later. She got up feeling much about herself and had come to a logical decision. She went into her bedroom, sat on her bed next to the gorgeous designer gown, and picked up the phone.

She dialed the number and waited for an answer. "Hello, Anderson's Locksmith's? Hi, can someone be out here this afternoon? It's an emergency."

* * *

Raven arrived at the Palace hotel promptly at seven o'clock. She was surprised to see a myriad of finely dressed socialites arriving at the lobby. She had to admit the gown looked gorgeous on her. She couldn't help but wonder how Dick seemed to know her measurements. Probably snooping around in her closet. She could seeing him now digging around in her underwear drawer, sniffing her panties and making a mess in her bed. Maybe that was just the Buspar talking. She broke down a took half of a pill before she left and downed it with a glass of white wine. The only thing keeping her from crashing on her way to the hotel was angels.

She looked incredible. She paired her dress with a romantic bun, polished nails, sexy Jimmy Choos, and a golden clutch. She stood in the lobby scanning the crowd with no sign of him. She took a moment to compose herself before entering the ballroom. Anyone who was anyone in LA was there. Artists, writers, musicians. All of those Bohemian types.

Raven crossed the room without attracting too much attention to herself. She slid into a stool and the bar. She wasn't really in the mood to drink, as she had, had at least four glasses of wine before she left.

"What can I get for you?" The dressed up bartender asked her.

Raven sighed. "Uh, dirty martini- I guess."

The bartender nodded before mixing her drink. She glanced around at the crowded room. She was beginning to think that this was all a trick. He had never planned on showing up. It was all part of the game. Raven laughed. Stupid woman. She shrugged and brought the delicate glass to her lips. Oh well, she got a free dress out of it and if the combination of the narcotics and alcohol got her frisky enough she just take the Ashton Kutcher looking bartender to an empty room during his break. Or shift, depending on how frisky she was feeling.

She swayed in her seat slightly moving to the music. A band was playing _Sing Sing Sing with a Swing_. For the first time in nearly four weeks she felt great. She started at the sudden feeling of a gentle hand tapping on her shoulder. Raven swung around annoyed in her seat. She was facing a very fragile looking young man.

Her eyes began scanning him before she could stop herself. His bow tie was crooked, his shirt wrinkled, and his eyes red and watering in a sickly sort of way. Somehow this man seemed familiar to her, but she found herself incapable of putting a name to his lethargic looking face.

"Yes?" she said finally. "Can I help you.?"

"Ms. Roth?" The boy said expecting her to suddenly remember her. There was another long, awkward moment of silence. He continued. "It's me Cristobel Walkins."

She stared at him blankly.

He coughed into a monogrammed handkerchief. "Uh, I attended the Art Institute of Manhattan. I won the young upcoming artists award my freshman year and your gallery in SoHo put my work on exhibit."

Raven's mouthed formed an "O", though she only vaguely remembered. Though she couldn't for the life of her remember any of his work she remembered him. Sickly little boy. Sarcoidosis or something. She called him Chopin, because he reminded her of the musician. He went on about how he was touring and would be going to Europe this summer to display his new works. Poor sap, artists didn't make any real money or fame anymore. He was about two hundred years too late.

"You look beautiful." He said lowly.

Raven chugged the rest of her martini. "Thank you. Can I get another one?" she asked the bartender.

"UH, I was watching you as you came in. You look much more comfortable among the dilettante than I do." he said bashfully.

Raven noted that his hands were shaking and he looked clammy. She reached into her clutch and pulled out a cigarette. She placed it between her red stained lips and lit it. "It's something you get use to." She said wondering why this little twit was still talking to her. "You just need to be a little more confident."

He was standing closer to her now. Raven's eyes narrowed and she sat slightly more erect. He ran his finger up her arm. "You want to go somewhere quieter?" He said as his hand moved closer to her breast.

She failed at choking back her laughter. She unintentionally barked a scoff. She leaned in closer to him. "Listen to me kid. I've had some pills and a couple of drinks and let me tell you my libido is up and I still wouldn't fuck you."

She snorted a laugh, which continued through the blank, slightly disappointed, look on Christobel's face before he wondered off. Raven swing back around in her seat beginning to feel her high wearing off. It had been fun while it lasted. She brought her cigarette back to her lips and exhaled. According to her watch it was half past seven. With no sign of Dick she shrugged and stood up. She prepared to find that hot bartender and drag him off to a dark corner somewhere.

"Leaving so soon?" She heard a husky voice from behind her.

She turned around to see a formal looking Dick leaning against the bar with that amused grin plastered on his face. _I guess that means he's in a good mood. _Raven had to admit he looked damn good in his Dolce and Gabbana suit. He and Eric Bana were the only men on the planet who could make five o'clock shadow look good.

"You're late." she said sliding back into her seat.

He was silent for a minute, he examined her carefully. She could feel his eyes piercing into her. She shifted uncomfortably. "You showed up." he stated.

"Surprised?" she said as provocatively as possible.

He shrugged. "No, not really."

"I must admit I'm glad you invited me out tonight. I'm having a great time." Raven said swaying in her seat.

"Are you high?" he asked indifferently.

She shrugged. "A little bit. God, I wish I had some Ecstasy right now."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of her seat. "Come dance with me." he said. Before she could give an answer Dick was pulling her towards the dance floor. He supported her slightly unsteady form by the small of her back and her hand. Raven didn't usually like to be lead in a dance but she was so out of this world that it didn't even matter.

Dick ran his hand up her back to feel her lack brassiere through the thin silk of her gown. Raven didn't really notice. She was a little bit unsteady on her feet. Yes taking that pill combined with alcohol was not a good idea. Dick lead Raven to the best of his ability.

"Here," he whispered seductively into her ear. "Feel my touch. Listen to the music. Respond to it." He ran his hand down her back and groped her.

"Are _you _feeling it in my backside?" she whispered back.

He didn't say anything. He just brushed a piece of loose hair out of her face. He dropped his hand and grabbed Raven's. Without a word he began to lead her through the throng of people. The hallway was congested with bustling waiters too busy steadying hot plates of overly priced food to notice the pair. Dick had Raven in a police hold as he practically dragged her down the hall and around the corner. She couldn't help but notice the quickness of his feet. Several times she stumbled over the hem of her dress.

Dick stopped abruptly at a glass door. He pulled the door open and pulled Raven onto the dark and empty veranda.

"Wha-" Her words were cut off by the suddenness of his lips against hers.

The kiss was rough and frenzied. His tongue dominated her mouth. Dick's hand ran down the side of her waist and lifted up thigh as her back met the wall. She gasped at the sensation. His hand slid underneath of her dress groping her thigh while the other one worked on her breast. Everything was so hazy. His lips met her neck and the quiet night was interupted by their harsh breathing. Raven's trembling hands fumbled to untuck his shirt. Her fingers ran over his hard abdominal. She could the contraction of his stomach.

Dick grabbed her from around the waist and hoisted her up onto a table, while once again attacking her mouth. He slid the bottom of her dress up to her waist. He used his hips to spread her legs apart. She could feel the stiffness of his manhood pressed against her innder thigh. She reached down to unbuckle his belt, but his hand stopped her. He placed a cold, hard object in the palm of her and brought her hand up to her face.

He kissed her knuckles. He took a step backwards and tucked his shirt back into his pants. Raven watched as he ran his hands through his now sweaty hair. "I told you you'd come around Kitten." He said stepping back into the hotel.

He shut the door behind him.

Raven hopped down from the table, her dress falling back to her feet. She looked down at her hand and found the courage to open it. Laying in the palm of her hand was a room key with a plastic tag attached to it. 121.

She stared down at the key before reentering the hotel. When she was sure the coast was clear she was coolly and casually as possible glided towards the elevator. When inside she pressed the 3. As she waited for the lift she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror at the back of the elevator. Her hair was sagging and limp. She removed the hair pins that were keeping what was left of her bun in place and let her hair fall to her shoulders. Her lipstick was smeared and there was a definite hickey forming at the side of her neck.

Her high was definitely gone. The elevator reached the third floor. Raven remained in the elevator staring into the empty and quiet corridor, convinced that she was making the biggest mistake of her entire life. She was so ashamed of herself.

The elevator door rang and began to close. She grabbed the edge of the door and pushed it back open as she stepped onto the floor. Her heart was thumping in her chest. Clarity. She acknowledged, perhaps, for the first time walking down that hallway, that the only reason Dick had gotten her to get this far was because he manipulated her. She was attracted to the danger. She liked their little game of cat and mouse. She liked the abuse.

Call her an emotional masochist.

Story of her life. She was attracted to anything self destructive. But this time it was different. She stopped in front of the door. If she gave herself to Dick he would win. It would be beyond hurting herself. She would be destroying herself.

Raven stood immobile for a long unbearable moment feeling the ache of heart against her chest. Allowing the rationality to return she turned around and fled. The elevator couldn't move fast enough. When she arrived in the lobby she took quick stride through the crowd tossing the hotel key in ficus pot sitting by door on her way out.

This time she shut the door behind her.

* * *

Raven returned to house sometime around ten feeling empowered. She had left ample time in between their rendezvous time and now for Dick to realize that he had no control over her. A small part of her was nervous when she pulled into the garage, but her anxiety was assuaged when she saw the parking space to be void of Dick's Lexus. She had packed his shit and left it in the garage before she had left, as she had the locks changed that afternoon. She turned off the engine and stared at her steering wheel allowing the freedom to wash over her. Raven sat and enjoyed the solitude. Yes, the glass was finally half full.

Raven entered her house cautiously. She was enveloped by complete silence sans Buffy's tags jingling with her every move. None of the lights were on. She tip toed upstairs and down the hall to the room where Dick had been staying. The door was open, but there was no sign of movement or sound. Raven stood in the doorway. Her heart beat at an irregular pace. She turned the light on for the final confirmation.

The bed was made with the Egyptian cotton bedding neatly folded. She walked into the connecting bathroom to find damp towels hanging from the towel rod. The scent of his masculine bath wash lingered in the shower. It smelled like Irish Spring. She walked back into the bedroom with an odd sense of being. His clothes, his things all gone. But his essence, the uncontrollable sense of danger...

Raven tore open the dresser. There wasn't so much as a leftover sock. Her eyebrows furrowed. Something was not right. It wasn't something should could explain, after all she had won. She had stood her ground and more importantly her will against that psychopath Dick Grayson. He was gone, out of her life for good. So why didn't she feel free?

Raven must have stood in her now unoccupied bedroom, just pondering for at least ten minutes. She was beginning to think this house was too big. No one under the age of thirty should be living in a glass house by themselves. She took a deep breath, trying to convince herself to relax. Tomorrow she would schedule a well deserved vacation in Puerto Rico and call the Realtor. This was her chance to buy a loft in the city. Taking another deep breath she flicked off the light and stepped into the hallway.

With a sigh of contentment she shook the paranoia from her mind and returned to her own bedroom. Buffy was engaged in a fight with the blue ribbon from the garment box. She sat on the edge of her bed and laid back. All she wanted was to take another long bath and finish off the night with cup of tea and an ambien.

She traded in her designer dress for a loose fitting t shirt and yoga pants. She neatly placed the dress back in the box and banished it to the back of her closet. So long Grayson, good ridden. Raven heard the sound of Buffy hissing. The cat hissed again, loudly before dashing into the closet. She slid under a rack of clothes before peaking her head out and jumping into Raven's arm.

"What the hell?" Raven said standing up.

She took very slow and careful steps into her bedroom. Everything looked normal. She dropped Buffy onto her bed before making her way into the bathroom. She stood in front of the door before slowly pushing it open. The mirrors were foggy and it was surprisingly warm. Raven walked in the bathroom, and her heart almost stopped beating when she saw it.

Her bathtub, full of water and red rose petals.

A Figure bolted from behind the door and tackled Raven to the ground. Dick still in his tuxedo and madness in his eyes threw her torso into the bathtub. He stood over her holding her neck underneath of the water and her lower back to keep her there. Raven swallowed a gulp of water on impact, the sensation burned her nostrils and dried out her throat. She immediately began to frantically kick and attempted to make use of her arms.

Despite all of over frenzied and panicked movements Dick held her firm under the water. Raven's arms and legs were uselessly flailing around. When her movements become slightly slower. Dick pulled her out of the water and tossed her onto the ground. Raven's breath was caught on the tile. She took a gasping gulp of air, her heart frantic. She coughed a few times before her flight response returned to her.

She turned around to see Dick quickly advancing towards her. She panicked and attempted to crawl but her body slid on the pool of water. Dick grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her up. She groaned in pain. He pulled her into the bedroom and tossed her on the floor again. Her head was suddenly throbbing.

_Oh my God he's going to kill me! _Raven thought.

For the first time she was well aware of the real danger she was in. Dick grabbed her from around her neck. Her held her against his chest. She could hear his breathing in her ear. It was heavy with belligerence.

"Claustrophobia huh?" he growled holding a thick belt in front of her.

Raven's eyes widened as she began to frantically pull away from him. He quickly wrapped the belt around her neck and tightened it. She could feel the air being squeezed out of her. Her hands clawed at the belt with no avail.

"It's disappointing really." Dick started the malice in his voice was masked by an eerie calmness.

Dick came closer to her tightening the belt around her neck. He enjoyed the helpless gasping sounds she was making. "I expected so much more from you." He continued.

Raven opened her mouth to say something. Dick kept his grip on the belt before loosening it enough for words to escape her quivering lips. She took in a deep breath. "Go fuck yourself." She rasped.

The belt tightened and Dick forced her to her knees. The pain in her throat was unbearable. "You think so highly of yourself. You think because your daddy stuck his hand down your pants that that gives you a reason to be pissed off with the world. You know fuck about pain-and suffering."

She noted that his icy eyes were burning, but not in lust. In anger. His glaze shifted into the distance. He barely noticed Raven clawing helplessly at the belt around her neck. He opened his mouth a few times and then closed it. As if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. He sighed before kneeling down in front of Raven keeping his grip tight on the belt.

"Look at you." he said gently dropping his hand.

Raven was becoming less able to focus on his actual words. She tried to focus on remaining calm and assuage her anxiety. Her whole body was quivering and her diaphragm ached. She opened her mouth to plead but she closed it immediately wondering if she was actually too proud to beg. _Please! _The words formed in her head but got caught in her throat. Dick watched her closely and though no words left her lips he seemed to understand.

He remained completely stoic. His eyes phlegmatic. "You're pathetic!" He shouted. "You're a spoiled little bitch, you know that. We all have pain! Everyone has pain! But we deal with deal with. We swallow it up and we move on. But you...You've gone your entire life pitying yourself. Oh woe is me my mommy died. I abused and molested. Get the fuck over it. You had so much potential. Wasted on self pity!"

Raven's vision doubled and her body went limp sans for the trembling. Dick looked down at her, coldness in his eyes. Raven was prepared to die when suddenly Dick let go of her and removed the belt from around her neck. Her throat passage was completely blocked.

He leaned down and whispered, "No one is here to save you now."

Without another thought Raven managed to get onto her knees and crawl over to her bedside table. She forced the drawer open and felt around for her inhaler. When she found it she shook it a couple of times before sticking it into her mouth. When she pressed down on it nothing came out.

_No! _Her panicked mind screamed.

She pressed it a few more times. Nothing. She looked up at Dick who was sitting in the wicker chair with expectant eyes smoking a cigarette. With no time to tread Raven mustered up all of her energy to stand up. She fell into the hallway and stumbled down the stairs. She could feel herself losing conscienceless. Her hands were shaking badly by the time she reached the kitchen. She fell to her knees as she grabbed her purse off of the table. She frantically dumped the contents onto the floor.

She grabbed her second inhaler, shook it, and pressed. It was empty too. It instantly clicked in her mind that he had purposely emptied her inhalers with the intention of killing her. The burning sensation of her throat and the uncomfortable lightheadness combined with a realization that she was about to die made Raven fall over. She struggled to draw a few more breaths as she laid on her kitchen floor suffocating to death.

Her vision was darkening, but the last thing she saw was Dick Grayson slowly coming down the stairs before everything went black.

_-"Why you so speechless?"-_

_

* * *

_

So this is usually the part where I give you some lame excuse for taking over a month to update. Well I don't have a good one so I'll be honest with you. I was having really bad writer's block which resulted in me spending over four weeks writing half a chapter which I hated. Earlier this week I completely tossed it out and restarted and I am much happier with the results. Good news I got my first acceptance letter and I turn 18 this week. It's all happening so fast.

In other news I got a part time job and tennis season is coming up so I am dedicated to finishing this story as quickly as possible, so the next update will probably during February vacation. I warn you the last couple of chapters will most likely be much shorter than the others.


	7. Fear of Sex

_"At this point I've gotta' choose/ Nothing to loose." Alejandro-_

The first time that Raven was aware that she was not dead was when she regained consciousness in the hospital. She attempted to open her eyes but quickly shut them against the pain of the blinding white lights. When she managed to get both of her eyes partially open she noted that everything was white. White sheets, white walls, white ceiling. White everything. At first she thought that she was in heaven, but upon realization that no good God would let her into heaven she came to the conclusion that she was just in the hospital.

Her head was pounding and her throat was sore and terribly dried out. She groaned in pain as she struggled to readjust her sight. Her breathing was ragged and her chest felt heavy. Raven groaned again louder this time as she struggled to turn over on her side. The was the sound of sudden movement startled her. Fear momentarily gripped her. When she opened her eyes again she was surprised to see a very addled lookingGarfieldleaning over her bed.

His hair was dishelmed and his eyes bloodshot from possible crying. At that moment Raven was thankful that she was too weak to roll her eyes or even properly asses exactly why he was even there. Even in her languished state she found his presence pathetic and unbearable. She opened her mouth to say something but the only thing that came out was an inaudible groan.

"Sh." He quickly silenced her taking her hand into his. "I came as soon as I heard. Rae-"

Raven discreetly pulled her hand away and placed it on her stomach. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Wa- what happened?"

Garfieldgrimaced. "You," he swallowed hard before continuing. "You don't remember?"

It all came flooding back to her. Dick holding her head underwater. Him chocking her. That menacing look he gave her before she passed out. Raven's face flushed. Her head suddenly hurt a lot worse. She pulled herself into a semi sitting position againstGarfield's protests. Her focus seemed somewhat unbalanced.

She cleared her throat which felt raw and stripped. "How long have I been out?" her voice sounded hoarse.

Garfieldrubbed the back of his head. "Uh, about ten hours I guess."

Raven didn't want to indulge him too much in conversation. It would just be inviting him to stay longer and quite frankly Raven wanted him to spend as little time there as possible. Raven leaned against the pillows and closed her eyes. She felt an intense throbbing against her temples. The sound of Garfield's breathing was severely driving her nerves.

"Rae, why did you do it?"Garfieldfinally blurted out. "The doctors said I shouldn't press you about it right now but I have to know why.

When Raven opened his eyes he was standing over her again his forest green eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth to ask him what the hell he was talking about but he cut her off.

"You didn't try to do it because of me did you?" His voice was quivering.

"What are you-" Raven tried to interject.

He was pacing now. "I never- I never wanted things to turn out the way the did. You seemed fine when I left the other day, and I thought about calling you but I...I don't know I was just still mad I guess."

"GarfieldI have no-"

"And then I get this phone call this morning saying that you-you- you tried to kill yourself. I thought that maybe-"

By Raven had completely tuned outGarfield's weepy tirade. The words "tried to kill yourself" rang through her mind endlessly. When she broke out of her abstraction she calmly calledGarfield's name. He was too busy ambulating frantically and ranting madly to notice her.

"Garfield." she called out loudly finally attracting his attention. "What the hell are you talking about? I had an asthma attack. I did _not _try to kill myself."

He shook his head sadly and kneeled at the side of her bed. He once again took her hands into his. "No, honey. When he found you- you said that you were-" the next words he chocked out with much difficulty. "Hanging from the ceiling fan by a belt."

Her confusion and desperation to understand quickly exacerbated her headache. "When who found me?" she said quietly.

There was a long moment of her eyes for understanding. "Dick."

Her stomach lurched as fear gripped her chest. She felt her heart rate increasing. "No, no, no!" she tried to explain but explanation was beyond her. She madly grabbed the front ofGarfieldshirt and pulled him closer to her.

"He's trying to kill me!"

Garfieldwas silent for a moment. He took her hands in his again. "Rae-" He started his voice gentle and utterly disbelieving.

Raven yanked her hands away from him. Against the wishes of her sore body Raven sat fully up, adrenaline pumping through her body. "No! It wasn't like- I didn't try to commit suicide."

"Rae-"

"No! I- I- I came home- I came home and I went into the bathroom and he was there. He was there but I didn't see him and he attacked me!"

"No, listen! He tried to drown me! He filled the bathtub up with water and he tried to drown me. But then he-" she stumbled to recall exactly the events of the previous night. "He brought me into the bedroom and he strangled me with his belt. I couldn't breathe! He let me go but the inhalers..." Her voice trailed off realizing just how crazy it sounded out loud.

"Raven," She could tell by the sympathy in his voice that he didn't believe her. "It's okay. It's going to be alright. The doctors said that you had some drugs in your system and sometimes psychosis medication can have adverse effects."

Raven ignored him. She threw the covers from over herself. "I have to get out of here. He'll come find me."

Garfieldwatched in horror as Raven ripped the IV drip from her arm. Blood splattered across the clean white floor. Gar shot up and quickly took hold of her bleeding arm. He held her against the bed and began screaming for a nurse. Two plump looking nurses appeared in the doorway and gasped. One ran for a doctor while the other helped Garfield strap Raven, who was struggling violently, into the bed.

"Please! He's out to get me!" She screamed.

The other nurse reappeared with syringe full of what Raven expected to be some sort of sedative. Before her free arm could be pulled into a restraint Raven sent a hard punch across the nurse's face in a final attempt to free herself.

"He's going to kill me! You have to believe me! Please!" she pleaded helplessly while the restraints tightened around her wrists.

The unoffended nurse quickly wiped Raven's elbow joint with a sterilizing wipe before emptying the clear liquid into her veins. She quickly began to feel her body weaken and her consciousness slip away."

"He's trying to kill me." She moaned miserable.

The two nurses plus Garfield exchanged worried glances. Their faces at the end of her bed began to blur.

"Please...you have to-" her words came out slow, quiet, and slurred. "Believeme." she said before passing out once again.

She refused to talk to any of the nurses who tried to coax her into conversation (and her throat hurt too badly for much conversation anyways). She also disregarded any meals that were brought to her room. She would rather starve than eat disgusting hospital food.

Sometime around six in the evening a young nurse, clearly uninformed of the "potential danger" (as Dr. Slade had called it) that Raven posed, came into her room to inform her that someone had called for her. Raven broke her vow of silence to ask who it was. The nurse told her the caller and asked Raven if she wanted to take the call. She eagerly accepted.

"Hey." she croaked into the phone. "...No I'm fine... It was just asthma...I know, I know but-...Really this is all just a misunderstanding...That isn't necessary...I don't want you to worry about me. I'll be fine...Of course I'm still coming up...Alright then, I'll see you in a few weeks...You too, bye."

Raven wearily leaned over and placed the phone back on the receiver. The sound of a man awkwardly clearing his throat startled her. She looked up to see a middle aged man in a white lab coat standing across from her bed. His hair was grayed, and he reminded her of this financial advisor she had fucked when she was nineteen, well if it weren't for his one blue eye. The eye patch over the other eye crept her out.

For a long moment they just stared at each other. Raven was unwilling to engage him first. He seemed to realize this so he cleared his throat again before speaking.

"Hello, Raven." He started leaning forward. "My name is Dr. Slade Wilson and I'm the resident psychologist at Mercy General."

"Psychologist?" she repeated almost disbelievingly.

"Yes," he continued. "I work with a number of patients with in a variety of therapeutic contexts which include but are not limited to medical interventions and drug therapies as opposed to-"

"I know what a psychologist is." Raven said sharply. She was tired of people and their bullshit. "I've seen enough over the years to know perfectly well was a fucking psychologist is. What I don't know is why the hell you're here."

Dr. Wilson, ever the professional, took her abuse in stride. He let a moment of silence pass through them before he continued. "I was informed today of your episode." He said the word episode like it was just another overused word of his daily vernacular. "Dr. Harrison, the on call doctor on this floor, thinks that perhaps you should be regarded under 5150."

He gave Raven a moment to come back with some witty or otherwise snarky remark. "Which is?" She said finally.

"Seventy-hour involuntary hold."

A wave of anger and worry passed over her. "What!"

"Let's not jump to conclusions." Dr. Wilson interrupted before she could get herself all worked up. "In order for you to be put under 5150 a licensed clinician, that's me, has to deem you a threat to either yourself or others. So for that matter I would like you answer a few questions. For your information as long as I am evaluating you, you will be considered my patient therefore anything you say will be regarded as confidential."

He took a few steps forward, and eased himself into the chair next to Raven's bed. The whole situation was so beyond ridiculous that Raven actually found it slightly humorous. Dr. Wilson took out a clipboard and scribbled a few things down before turning his attention back to Raven.

"So Raven would you like to begin by telling me about what happened this morning?" He asked staring intently at her with his one eye.

Raven remained statuesque. "It was nothing." she said evenly. "I took a few too many pills, that's all."

She left it at that. Dr. Wilson waited for her to finish. When she didn't he asked another question. "Do you typically experiment with drugs?"

It was a safe enough question. She shrugged. "Sometimes." she said vaguely.

"Oh?" He asked with professional curiosity. "What kinds."

Raven sighed. "I don't know. I used to do a lot of opium when I was younger, but now I stick to prescription pills...and ecstasy every once in awhile."

Dr. Wilson scribbled that down on his legal pad. "Why ecstasy."

The curve of Raven's mouth turned up. "Have you ever had sex while high on E?"

"Have you?" He asked her rhetorical question with a question. Raven wasn't sure if it was intended to be rhetorical but she answered anyways.

"Absolutely." she answered honestly. "Many many times."

Raven was instantly becoming bored. She laid back against the firm pillows of the hospital bed. The starch of the blankets irritated her skin. She would give anything to be in her own one thousand count, Egyptian cotton, five hundred dollar sheets. Was that even possible at this point. As much as she hated to admit it, the thought of returning home struck fear into her.

She was coming to the realization that perhaps there was no stopping Dick Grayson. His determination was insatiable. He would stop at nothing- absolutely nothing- to have her submit to him. She changed the fuck damn locks and that still didn't stop him. No matter how much she analyzed the situation he found a way around it. It was as if he was reading her fucking mind. What if she went home and he was sitting in that wicker chair waiting for her. Raven almost wished he would just take her forcefully. That way they would both get what they wanted. He would get her legs apart and she could still keep her whatever dignity she had left.

It took a moment for Raven to realize that Dr. Wilson was still waiting for her to answer a question that she had failed to hear. "I'm sorry what?"

He dropped whatever it was that he had asked her. "What's on your mind."

She swallowed hard. "Nothing." she said keeping her voice as disguised from her emotions.

"Is this about what happened this morning?" He asked slightly more aware.

"No." She immediately lied. As soon as the words left her mouth she realized that her answer came too quickly. Dr. Wilson was a sharp man, she assumed, and there was no way a person of his profession would have missed the insincerity of her words. "I came here for an ashtma attack. That's all." Her words emphasized the finality of the conversation from her perspective.

Dr. Wilson glanced down at his clipboard. "Ah, yes asthma. When was the last time you had a severe asthma attack."

She shrugged. "I don't know...when I was fourteen I guess." Her voice sounded irritated.

He looked up at her. His one eye narrowed. "And this is the first asthma attack you've had in thirteen years?" His voice sounded skepticism, almost disbelieving.

"Yes." she bit.

Dr. Wilson remained silent for a moment. "The reports say that you were admitted for an attempted suicide."

Raven froze. _Fuck! _She cursed to herself, she had forgotten about that minor detail. She leaned back against the pillows. This was one of the few moments in life when she actually felt speechless. She was beginning to realize the very real possibility that she would have to spend seventy-two hours in the psych ward.

"The nurses said that you were pretty hysterical this morning." Raven closed her eyes and tried to control the rate of her breathing. "You made claims that he was 'trying to kill' you. Who is he?"

"It doesn't matter." Raven said quickly. "You won't believe me."

"Why wouldn't I believe you?" Dr. Wilson asked legal pad forgotten and clipboard abandoned.

She turned to face him. She meant to portray annoyance, but instead her eyes unintentionally conveyed weariness. Her throat began to burn again, and a series of hacking coughs wracked her body. Dr. Wilson quickly but calmly stood up and moved over to the pitcher of glass on the side table next to her bed. He poured her a cup of room temperature water into a small plastic cup and handed it to her. Raven took a few difficult swallows, before handing him back the cup. Dr. Wilson then handed her a small inhaler that had been left on the table by a nurse. Raven inhaled deeply and felt the burning in her throat immediately assuage. She leaned against the pillows again. The fit had left her feeling exhausted. The entire day had left her feeling exhausted. She was so exhausted.

Raven cleared her throat painfully. "I don't care anymore." her voice came out raspy.

"I'm sorry?" Dr. Wilson said slightly surprised.

"I don't care if you or anyone else believes me." The weariness and isolation was becoming too much for her to bear. He said he wanted for to tell him what happened, so she'd tell him. For once it would be the truth, but like always she didn't give two fucks if he believed her or not.

"For the past four weeks- well I think it's been about four weeks- this maniac has been stalking me. He told me he was going to ruin me, and I thought that he was so full of shit but he- he's determined to destroy everything that I have. He- well anyways after he got my boyfriend to break up with me I rejected him so he broke into my house last night and tried to choke me with a belt, and then he called the ambulance and told them that I tried to kill myself so that he would look like some sort of hero and I some sort of nutcase."

Her words came out rushed, but the purging felt oddly satisfying. For a long moment Dr. Wilson just stared at her with his mouth slightly agape. "Uh, okay." he said trying to keep her story straight. "This maniac why is he trying to ruin your life?"

Raven sighed. "At first I thought it was just about sex, but now I see that he is testing his own strength. He considers us equals and by seducing my or breaking me down or whatever the hell he is trying to do it would prove, in his eyes, that he is the most superior being. He's a narcissistic asshole."

Dr. Wilson leaned on the footboard of his bed. His face was blank and Raven couldn't tell if it was because he didn't believe her. "Does this maniac have a name."

Raven's word stopped in her swollen throat, as if it were some horrible new curse word. "Dick Grayson."

Suddenly Dr. Wilson's head shot up, his one eye was bewildered. His position became very erect and his mouth hung open in genuine shock. Forgetting his professional demeanor and slowly backed away from Raven's bed as if she had some sort of contagious disease. He grabbed his clipboard, papers fluttering to the floor unable to keep up with his speed.

"I'm sorry Raven." He said as he fumbled to pick up the papers, scooping them up in no particular order. "I think that this was the result of a misunderstanding and keeping you in this hospital would be a terrible mistake and a crime to your individual rights as a person. You are free to leave as soon as the asthma specialist says that it is okay."

Raven was perplexed and startled by the sudden severe shift in his carriage. "Wait-" she tried to interject.

Dr. Wilson throw the door open with such force that it crashed against the opposite wall leaving a black scuff mark. He turned around to face one final time. "I wish you the best of luck in the future and please be careful."

With his final eerie words he swept out of the room, leaving Raven feeling much more scared than she had before.

* * *

The asthma specialist gave Raven another inhaler and released her from the hospital. She called a taxi and felt her heart thumping in her chest for the entire eighteen minute drive home. She stood at the front doors staring at the doorknob. Finally she unlocked the door and slowly entered. The entire house of dark and quiet. Raven quickly crossed kitchen and flicked the lights on. She remained still listening carefully for any sounds of movement.

When the coast was supposedly clear she took slow steps upstairs. Raven slowly pushed the door open and waited for any sign. When she was comfortable enough she moved into her bedroom. It looked pretty close to how it looked before she had left, except Dick had cleared the evidence of his intrusion. Raven did not have the eerie feeling that she wasn't alone, but something did seem off. She just couldn't put her finger on. Shaking the paranoia from her mind she dropped her bag on the bed and moved cautiously into the bathroom. She flicked on the lights.

Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp that was caught in her throat, and her eyes widened in shock. There hanging from the ceiling by a string was her the lifeless body of her cat. Her legs were suddenly unable to hold her up. Raven wavered to the side as bile rose in her throat. She leaned over before she could stop herself and wretched violently onto the floor.

When her stomach was void she stumbled backwards into her bedroom, surprise tears welled up in her eyes. Buffy was the closet she had come to actually loving something. She kicked the door closed unable to bear the sight. Her head was swimming. The sound of the phone ringing startled her. Her eyes fell onto the phone on her bed but she refused to move from the spot on the floor. The phone rung three times before going to voice mail. A few seconds passed before the caller tried again. Raven regained strength in her legs and stood up across from her bed. A wave of relief washed over her as the phone went to voice mail again. A long minute passed before the phone rang again.

Raven reluctantly picked up the phone in her shaking hands. Her voice seemed paralyzed.

"Listen bitch," came Dick's rough and serious voice before she could even say anything. "I'm getting real fucking tired of this game. Real fucking tired. I'm giving you one more chance same place tonight at ten. And next time I won't be so nice."

With that the phone went dead. Raven listened to the sound of the dial tone before letting her thumb automatically press the 'end' button. Her eyes fell on the clock. It was already a quarter to nine. Her mind ran through her options, which were scant at best. She could call the police. And tell them what? Some charming and attracting sociopath had invited her to his hotel room. She didn't dare try to run, she knew he would find her. Hell he was probably watching the house at that very moment.

She fell onto the bed. Harsh reality took over as she began to realize that he wouldn't stop. He would never stop. She head fell into the palms of her hands and she nervously ran her fingers through her hair. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. She could consent to Dick and let him have his way with her. There were no consequences to saying yes. Should it would have devastating effects on her dignity, but that was something that could be built back up. Right?

Before she could think about anything else she untied Buffy from the bathroom ceiling and buried her in the backyard. She came back into her bedroom and changed her clothes. On the drive to the Palace she focused on her driving instead of her thoughts. She arrived ten minutes early and stepped into the lobby. It was a lot less busy than the last time she had been there. She took a deep breath and made her way over to the front desk.

"Hi," she said softly to get the secretary's attention. "I'm suppose to meet a...friend of mine in his room."

"Name?" he asked without even looking at her.

Her voice caught in her throat. "Richard Grayson."

The man typed something in the computer. "Raven Roth?" he asked tossing her a glance. She nodded. He opened a desk drawer and placed a room key on the desk. "He left this for you."

Raven grabbed the key without really looking at it and walked slowly over to the elevator. Time seemed to slow from there. Her heart began to bleat in her ears as the elevator finally made it to the lobby. The doors slowly slid open. Raven hesitantly stepped inside. Her heart only seemed to increase as the lift moved up.

The doors slid open on the appropriate floor, but Raven's feet seemed to be glued to the floor. She couldn't will herself to move. After a long moment a doors began to close. She quickly grabbed the edge of the doors and forced them back open. _There were more consequences to saying no than there are for saying yes_. She tried to convince herself.

She felt like she was in some sort of horrible nightmare. The hallway seemed to getting longer and longer with every step she took. Her heart was pounded and the sound of her shoes echoing off the walls filled her eyes. Finally she made it to the room. Her hand held the key in front of her, her hand was shaking badly. _Just get it over with! _Her mind screamed at her.

She forced the key into the slot. The light flashed green and she pulled the doorknob down and slowly stepped inside. The room was completely dark and silent. As soon as the door shut behind her Dick materialized from behind her and grabbed a handful of her hair. Raven yelped in pain as her hair was lifted from her scalp.

"Nice of you to finally join me." He said gruffly in her ear.

Raven felt herself being pushed. She stumbled over her own heels and an unknown object on the floor. She knees buckled against the edge of the bed. Dick climbed on top of her before she could react. She tossed her small body over and held her down by her neck. Dick's rough and needy hands fumbled with the top. Patience abandoned he ripped her blouse off and pulled her skirt down. He tossed her clothes to the side. Raven could barely breathe from a combination of Dick's weight on top of her and the pressure from the mattress.

"It's a real shame that it had to come to this Kitten." Dick's voice sounded harsh with the speed of his undressing.

He pulled her bra strap apart and lifted it above her head. He turned her over and ripped off her panties. His body straddled her waist while he lifted his shirt above his head. The malice in his eyes were horrific. Raven squirmed underneath of him. She wanted out. She couldn't do it. Dick calmly rested on top of her and grabbed the sides of her head and forced her to look at him.

"Say it." he said calmly. She shook her head vigorously. "SAY IT!" he shouted slapping her across the face.

The fear Raven was feeling was overwhelming and tears welled up in her eyes as she felt herself breaking. Breaking just the way he wanted her to.

"Say it! Say it!" he screamed over and over again punching her repeatedly in the face. Raven sobbed helplessly. She just wanted this nightmare to end. "If you would just say it, it would all be over!" He yelled punching her once in the stomach.

Something in Raven's mind clicked. _If you would just say it, it would all be over. _For the first time everything seemed so clear. Something about his promise gave her strength. Her tears subsided slightly and she swallowed hard.

Her voice came just above a whisper. "Yes."

* * *

I could run down my list of excuses but they are not important to you. This chapter was much longer than I had anticipated. I realize how selfish it is of me to keep you guys waiting when I already know how it ends.

Forgive any mechanical errors I will go back and fix them later.


	8. Fear of Love

_"I want your psycho/ Your vertigo stick." Bad Romance-_

He entered her suddenly. She gasped at the sensation of his cock filling her to the hilt. There was no foreplay, no tender kisses, no sweet albeit false whispers. There was just rough and violent fucking. Raven lay immobile paralyzed by pain for the first few moments. Dick's hand tightened around her throat to hold her in place. When she didn't move he allowed his hand fall from her neck onto her breast.

He paused in his ministrations to pull himself upwards. He held onto the headboard with his free hand and his weight lifted off of her slightly as he thrust deeper into her. The pain was beginning to subside and it gave way to ripples of pleasure. Raven's back arched upwards and her hips pressed harder against his elevated lap. Dick growled. Raven felt her body buckle wildly so she ran her hands over his hard pecs, downs the ripples in his stomach, and latched onto his waist.

Dick lowered himself so that he was planked on both sides of her head, and deeply inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. He stopped moving against her, and without control Raven lifted her waist up and began to grind against him, taking over where he had left off. His eye swept over her body before landing back somewhere above her head. He tried to remain unreadable but his mouth fell open slightly with pleasure. At this point Raven had completely let go. Her senses were white with pleasure. Her love sounds alternated between a low moan and a soft purr that gradually escalated into full on screaming...almost.

Dick buried his head against the crook of her neck and kissed and licked the side of her throat, stopping at her collarbone to suck on the protruding bone. Raven's arms wrapped around his body, underneath of his tense arms and ran down the muscles of his back. She felt him tense against her. She could feel the fire in her belly growing into an all-out inferno. She bucked against his body faster, willing him deeper inside of her.

The sounds that she was making were very encouraging. Dick lifted himself up again and rested his hand on her breast again, while the other hand slid down to her womanhood. He ran his thumb repeatedly across her clit. Her neck fell back and her back arched forward so high that he had to force her down slightly using his hips. She leaned forward biting his shoulder. She groaned loudly against his shoulder, and he yanked her hair back so that he could hear the end of her cries passion. Her entire body tensed and spasmed slightly and suddenly the front of his lap was all wet.

Her body relaxed against the mattress as he continued to violently thrust inside of her with more force and urgency. Without warning a warm spread inside of her and Dick stiffened on top of her. She could feel his massive cock throbbing inside of her. Dick fell onto his elbows still on top of her. They were both plastered in sweat and the combined sound of their heavy and labored panting filled the room. When their lungs had caught up with their violent love making and they laid in complete silence for an excruciating moment. Raven's face didn't seem to register the event. She was staring, almost disbelievingly, at the ceiling with her mouth still slightly open. Her lipstick was smeared down her chin and her mascara was running down her cheeks. There was a gruesome purple and greenish bruise forming on the side of her jaw, and her eye was outlined in black.

Dick was the first to speak.

"I know baby." He whispered to her extending his arms and pushing himself off of her completely. "It hurts to lose."

Without a second glance he turned and pulled on his boxers and pants. He quickly buttoned his shirt and tied his tie without looking at her once. His hand was on the doorknob when he was stopped in his tracks. He could Raven making the most peculiar noise from behind him. At first he thought it was crying, but upon further inspection he had learned that the hysterical noise was not weeping but laughter.

Rage bubbled up inside of his as he turned around to see Raven, twisted in the sheets, laughing quite hysterically. "What?" He demanded taking his off of the doorknob.

She ignored him and continued to cackle like a hyena. He stalked quickly back to the edge of the bed. "What!" It was not a question.

He watched in anger and disgust as she laughed at him like it was the funniest damn thing in the world. He had done it. _He_ had seduced her, just like he promised. _He_ had destroyed her. He had won. So why the hell was she laughing. Raven took a few steadying breaths, the fire burned her eyes.

Her lungs ached from the laughter and her voice came just above a whisper. "_I_ seduced _you_."

At this point Dick thought that she had gone mad. Raven let forth a couple more bouts of laughter before pulling herself into a sitting position.

"I beg pardon?" Dick said incredulously.

"I must admit that was performance of a lifetime." The arrogance in her tone was overwhelming.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed and proceeded to pull her panties on bathing in Dick's perplexed expression. He watched her as she casually pulled her dress back on and sat at the vanity next to the bathroom door. She examined the fresh cocaine lines lying on top of the glass. She turned around to face Dick. "Do you have a straw? No?" She shrugged and rolled the crumpled up dollar bill that had fallen on the floor. She inhaled one line of the white powdery substance before examining herself in the mirror.

She groaned in annoyance at the abuse to her face. "How and I suppose to go down to the lobby looking like this? People will whisper." She told him amused. Dick continued to stare at her blankly. "Stop looking at me like that." She sighed. "It's like this. I know all about you Dick Grayson and I have for a while."

"You don't know me." His voice came out the weakest she had ever heard.

"Oh really?" She challenged. "I suppose the same could be said about the latter." The smirk at the end of her sentence pissed him off.

He took a step forward. "Don't flatter yourself honey. Maybe I stroked your ego a little too much, and now I am beginning to realize that you and I are nothing alike." His voice wavered in anger.

"Oh do tell." she mocked.

"I've been places that you can't get back from. You? You're just some messed up little girl who never grew up because of all of the fun with papa. Yeah, you're impulsive and self-destructive, because you never had anyone so you go through men to defend yourself. Kill or be killed. Some good advice for you sweet heart: get the fuck over it."

Raven stood up the grin of self-satisfaction had not faltered the way he had expecting. This pissed him off even more. "Oh please," She said somewhat offended. "My father never touched me. I treated me like a princess. I spend every summer with him in Martha's Vineyard. He was the first man that I ever made fall in love with me."

She turned to face the mirror again. "It was all part of the plan. I had to make you think I was vulnerable. Question my limits. Dick, Dick, Dick." She tsked. "Ambition was the fatal flaw of Macbeth. Apparently you have that in common."

He was for once in his life speechless. "I...it was all a lie?"

"Yes." She answered blatantly. "No, that was a lie. See I just lie so often sometimes I forget what the truth is. I really do have asthma. Other than that..." She shrugged as her voice trailed off.

"I will admit though of all the people that I've conquered _you _were my greatest opponent. Well?" She said on second thought. "Second greatest opponent. Mother was a real pistol. She could always see right through me, from the time that I was a little girl. Can you imagine? My own mother thought that I was a monster. So naturally she never loved me, never believed me. I knew I had to get Father on my side, so I played daddy's little girl and I played it well. So when I was twelve and I was- raped by my neighbor and my mother did not believe me when I told her it actually...hurt. Inexplicably. I knew I had to get rid of her otherwise I would never be free."

She turned to face him a maniacal and frightening grin on her face. "She died in a car accident when I was seventeen."

His eyes narrowed at her disbelievingly. His words came out slow almost practiced. "You killed your mother?" It was more of a statement than it was a question.

Raven jumped out of her seat, a menacing smile plastered on her face. "And look I'm free. And All I had to do was get rid of one person. The only person that was standing in my way." Her composure relaxed. "It's amazing the power our parents have over us." She smiled sweetly again. It made him sick. "But you would know."

He roughly grabbed her arm. More bruises. "Shut up! You don't know anything!"

She scoffed before yanking her arm out of his grasp. "Really? I stopped by Dr. Slade's office on my way over here, your childhood psychiatrist. He told me that you were a very troubled young boy who he predicted would grow into a deeply disturbed man. You know he considers youh is only failure." she laughed suddenly. "After all of that shock treatment that your father made them put you through and you're still as crazy as they come."

His hand suddenly reached out grabbed her neck, and he pushed her into the wall next to the door. "I could kill you." he growled.

She could feel the tremors of rage in his hand. She pushed him back. "But you won't. Just like you couldn't off your daddy and until you do you can never reach your full potential. I did and look at me. You think that you seduced me? I seduced you. I made you want _me_. I made you pursue _me_. You thought that you had me falling into your little scheme, but the truth is I was always two steps ahead from the very moment that we met."

Dick's hand slackened and fell to his side. He fell against the wall, his head swimming in the bleak realization that she had played him. Every move, every meeting, every attack she had anticipated, she had orchestrated. It had started that first night in the ballroom and had ended tangled in the sheets of this hotel room. Raven stepped closer to him so that their faces were inches apart.

"I know baby. It hurts to lose."

She stepped back and began to pull the door open, putting a permanent end to the epic that had been her and Dick. Dick slammed the door shut in her face. The lust and fire in her eyes matched his own. He pushed her against door pinning her arms above her head. His lips attacked her own. Their tongues were their battleships. His hand let go of hers and he roughly grabbed her breast before yanking her skirt back to the floor and hastily pulled her shirt over her head.

Her hands fumbled to undo his tie. She lost her patience with his buttons and torn his shirt open, roughly fingering his abdominals. His fingers tangled in her hair, bringing them closer together. He felt the fire rebuilding inside of him as her nakedness pressed against him. Her firm and hardened tits rubbed against his bare chest, and he felt his lap harden. They made a swift movement to the bed, without the lips ever displacing.

Raven pushed Dick against the bed. His knees buckled and he fell backwards onto the mattress. She quickly straddled on top of him and leaned over to devour his mouth once more. God she tasted like a dark kind of heaven. The soft curls of her hair brushed against his shoulder and neck. He was getting more turned on by the second. There was a slight wet mark on the leg of his pants from where her dampened cunt had brushed against him. She sat up and flummoxed to undo his belt. When she got the buckle off his lifted his hips allowing her rip it away from him. With some joint effort they managed to toss his pants to the floor, and then his boxers joined the increasing pile of clothes on the floor.

Raven kissed him on the lips one more time before trailing her lips down his neck. Kissing gave way to licking at his chest, and she turned licking into nibbling the flesh of his stomach. She grabbed his already erect cock and eyed him seductively whiling sticking her tongue out. Her eyes never left his as she used her tongue to slowly stroke the side of his cock. His breath hitched. Raven was getting more impatient. Without warning her mouth dove for his member, she wanted to blow him quickly as possible. His hand reached out and grabbed a handful of her hair.

Finally his roughly yanked her hair upwards and pulled her underneath of him. He didn't waste time kissing her sensually. His mouth immediately moved lower, lower making her scream. After a while Raven rolled over so that she was on top. He held onto her waist as she lowered herself onto his length. They found their rhythm immediately. They matched every violent thrust and grind. Dick sat up so that Raven sat astride his lap, holding onto her thighs and thrusting in harder and faster.

Their lovemaking was a struggle for dominance. Though Dick could easily overpower Raven she was too strong-willed to give in without a fight. The fire in her fed his own. Dick moved them so that he entered her hot, wet cunt from behind. One hand held firmly onto her waist while the other rested on her breast. At this point Raven was moaning rather loudly. He buried his nose into her hair inhaling her. The hand that had been resting on her hip ran up her inner thigh and proceeded to stroke her lady parts.

Her moaning had reached its peak and the contraction of her muscles let him know that she was close. She moaned loudly through gritted teeth as a wave of white pleasure that she had never known washed over her. "Richard!"

She fell forward so that she was lying flat on the bed and Dick was right there with her. He lay on top of her still thrusting wildly into her. His body strained and he climaxed his hot breath on her ear. They were both panting like dogs in heat. It was the greatest act of passion that either of them had ever known. Dick remained on top of her and kissed her damp, bare shoulder before rolling off of her. They laid close and facing each other.

"I love you." Dick panted out.

Raven's breath evened out and a smile crept across her face. She had done it. It was greater than her consumption Garfield's heart and soul or any other man that she had greatest masterpiece. The conquest of a lifetime. She leaned in closer to kiss him.

"Shut up."

_"You and me could write a bad romance."_

* * *

Fin.

I know shocker right? I had an awesome time writing this fiction and I thank you all immensely for your support and encouragement. I hope the ending was all that you guys deserve.

I do have a final confession. This entire story was somehow inspired by the "Fame Monster." The theme for every chapter was the theme of the song that I included in that chapter. Again I thank you all and look for me in the future. Choi.


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